Evening journal., 1918-03-15

been waiting in American ports for
weeks unable to sail because OF the re-
fusal Of Germany to permit an equiva-
lent amount OF tonnage leaving Dutch
harbors, the obvious plan Of .he Ger.
man authorities being TO gather all
Dutch ships into home harbors and
then prevent any OF them sailing by
threats to torpedo any vessel leaving
Holland waters To relieve the food
situation in Holland the War Trade
Board has finally authorized The trans
shipment OF the food IN question from
The Two Dutch steamships TO the HOl-
land liner Nieuw Amsterdam, which Is
sailing shortly.
"The present campaign OF threats and
intimidation against the Scandinavian
neutrals. now carried on in the semi
Official North German Gazette and other
organs OF the German press, Is obvious
ly Intended 70 frighten the northern
neutrals from completing agreements
which benefit the neutrals quite as
much as the United states and its asso-
cistos
"NOw success OF the earnest efforts
rush shipments Of bread grain 30 swift
zerland Is threatened by the action Of
German submarines which. according
10 now fully confirmed reports from
4 Switzerland, have made a start on a
new policy Of ruthlessness by sinking
+ the neutral Spanish steamship S3r-
/ dinero. secured with great difficulty 20
carry food to that country. The tor
pedong Of the Sardinero, carrying near
/ iy q 900 tons Of cereals for Switzerland.
can by no stretch OF the Imagination
4 be brought within the scope NJ Ger
many's submarine policy, since the YES
/ sci was engaged not in an enemy. but
! in a supposedly safe trade for a neu-
/ tral state. was en- route to a port 10
which Germany had explicitly promised
/ 90 leave open a safe passage and was
+ torpedoeG outside the prohibited zone.
"To add TO the deliberateness OF The
onense. the Sardinero was destroyed
after the submarine commander had
made a thorough examination Of the
ships papers and convinced himself
Of the nature and destination OF the
cargo. so that no plea Of a mistake
can be entered by Germany. The evil
dent intent and result OF the act were
10 prevent Switzerland. whose urgent
and immediate need Of food is well
/ known 10 Germany, from receiving the
American grain. 90 destroy q Spanish
ship for after-the-war trade and "a
raise by this much the relative value
and importance OF each German shin
afloat at the end OF the war.
by the Swiss-American agreement
Of December 3. the Allies guaranteed
f 90 Switzerland for its admittedly urgent
needs an eight months supply OF 2i0,-
900 tons OF cereals subject 10 the as
sumption that Germany would safe
conduct the supply ships as specified
In Its proclamation on ruthless subma-
rining, which provided a. safe route %
The Mediterranean port Of Cette and
promised that submarines would not
mOlest such vessels
'To accelerate delivery and provide
FOR immediate necessities before grair
from the Argentine. the natural source
OF supply. could reach Switzerland. The
War Trade Board even procured from
the scanty supplies In this country, 30,
900 tons of grain which had been ear.
marked for the Allies and allocated 4
20 Switzerland. arrancing TO replace 4
later by Grain from the Argentine. an,
had further proved its good fahh an,
desire 70 help out dependent neutral
by successful efforts 70 secure tonnag
, TO transport the grain The plans evei
contemplated bringing the ships back 4
ballast from Cette 70 accelerate shin
ments and remove any pretext for Ger
man submarine Interference with IN
, ships either going or coming"