Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-21

many despite the little xjnadom's acute
need of foodstuffs, for which the agree
ment provided. A temporary agreement
then was negotiated to tide over the
emergency and that, too. was held up
by Prussian diplomacy.
President Wilson authorized tonight
the following statement:
For some months the United States
and the entente allies have been con-
ernment with the object Of concluding
general commercial agreement.
"A very clear statement of the charac-
ter Of these negotiations was made on
March Il to the Dutch Parliament by
his excellency the minister of foreign
affairs Of Holland. AS appears from the
statement the discussion proceeded upon
the basis of two fundamental propositions,
namely, that the United States and the
allies should facilitate the importation
into Holland Of foodstuffs and other COM
modities required to maintain her eco
nomic life and that Holland should re-
store her merchant marine to normal
condition Of activity.
ut was the task Of the negotiators to
develop a specific application Of these
propositions which would be acceptable
to the governments concerned.
EARLY in January, 1918. the negotiations
came to an understanding which was
embodied in a tentative agreement which
was submitted to the governments con-
cerned in order that, If acceptable it
might be ratified or. If unacceptable. a
counter proposal might be made.
THE negotiations becoming prolonged.
the Dutch delegates proposed, in order
that their ships might sooner be put
Into remunerative service, that Dutch
tonnage lying idle in American waters
should, with certain exceptions, be i'm
mediately chartered to the United States
for periods not exceeding 80 days. This
proposal was accepted by the United
States government and on January q.
1913. the Dutch minister at Washington
handed to the secretary of state of the
United States a note expressing the terms
Of the temporary chartering agreement
and his governments acceptance there
of.
This agreement provided. among other
things. that $50, 900 tons of Dutch shipping
should at the discretion Of the United
States be employed in the service of Bel
gian relief and partly for Switzerland
on safe conduct to Cette, France, and
that for each ship sent to Holland in the
service Of Belgian relief. a correspond
ing vessel should leave Holland for the
United States. Two Dutch ships in the
united States ports with cargoes of food
stuffs were to proceed to Holland, SINH
lar tonnage being sent in exchange from
Holland to the United States for charter
as In the case of other Dutch ships lying
in the United States ports.
HOLLAND UNWILLING
THE agreement was explicitly tempor-
ary In character and being designed 70
meet an immediate situation, prompt pei
formance was of the essence. The Dutch
government at once disclosed. however,
that 1t was unwilling or unable TO carr
out this character agreement which 1t
had itself proposed. The first desire -
tho United States was tn secure at cncu
shipping. as contemplated by the agrcc-
ment. to transport to Switzerland fooc-
stuffs much needed by the state Ono
difficulty after another was, however.
ro!Hed to postpone the charterinx OF Dutch
ships for Swiss relief. and although
the reason was never formally exprassed.
II wss generally known that tho Dutch
ship owners feared lest their chips should
be destroyed by German submar;n evau
though on an errand CT mercy and .hcugi,
not travers!ns any Of tho so-cailed dan
ger zonas' proclaimed by the German
EovSrnment. That this fear was nj:
wholly urtTstified has happily been show'.
by the recent not ot The German govern.
! n,ent In sinking the Spanish ship 'SAr-
dinero' outside the 'dnnger zone' when
carrying q cargo OF gran for SwitSer-
land and after the submarine commander
had ascertained this fact by an Inspection
Of the ships papers.
ALWAYS THE GERMAN THREAT.
I'm respect OF Belgian RELIEF tho
Dutch government expressed Its prof.
ont inability. to comply with the s.4res-
ment On the ground that the O. rrsn
government had given Holland TO TN
stand that It would forcibly prevent
the departure from Holland ot the cor-
responding ships. which unde. ttr
| agreement were to ieave s...ncidenla!:y
for the United States. The Dutch gov-
ernment even was itself unable to Sc
cure the two carxoes of foodetufsi
which under the agree0rent It was per-
| iattted to secure. since hero again tta
German government iLt~rvenSd and
thIextensf to destroy tho equivalent
Dutch tonnage which under the ngrec.
ment was TO leave Holland for t.e
United Statos.
TIME NOW TO AC1.
Nearly two mcnths have elapsed
since the making OF tho temporary
chartering agreement and tho proposes
general agreement has lain even lon
ger without reply on tho part OF l1ol-
land. Meanwhile. Gcrn.nn threats hRv,
grown more violent. with o view 20
preventing any permanent agreeMen.
and Of forcing Holland to violate any
temporary agreement
ION March 2. through Great Drita.n. u
final proposal. expiring on the 18th WA,
submitted to Holland. A reply has been
received which while In itself unacccp;.
able. might under other condition. hav.
served as basis for further negotiations.
But the events to which have alluded.
had served to demonstrate conciusiveIy
that we have been attempting to negotiate
where the essential basis for an agree.
ment. namely. the meeting OF free wiilD