New-York tribune., 1918-03-21


rom the statement the discussion pro-
ceeded upon the basis of two funda
mental propositions, namely, that the
United States and the Allies should
facilitate the importation into Holland
of foodstutfs and other commodities
required to maintain her economic lite,
and that Holland should restore her
merchant marine to 4 normal oondllloh
of activity.
ut was the task OF the negotiaJors
70 develop a specific application OF
these propositions which would be ac-
ccptable to the governments concerned. !
Early in January, 1918, the negotla-
tors came to an understanding whlch
was embodied in 4 tentative agreement
which was submitted to the govern
,oents concerned in order that, If ac-
ceptable, it light be ratified, or. If un
acceptable, d counter proposal might be
inadc-
Proposal from Holland
The negotiations becoming pro-
iongcd 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 Immediately chartered to the Onlteo
States for periods not exceeding ninety
days. This proposal was accepted by
the united states SONtiiiutftt, e'''N o'4
january %. 1918, the Dutch Minister at
Washington handed 20 the Secretary OF
State of the United States note ex-
= pressing the terms of the temporary
chartering agreement. and his govern
ment's acceptance thereof.
This agreement provided, among
other things, that 10000 tons OF Dutch
shipping should at the discretion of the
United States be EMPLOYED partly IN the
service of Belgian relief and partly tor
Switzerland on safe conduct to Cette,
France. and that for each ship sent 10
Holland in the service of Belgian re-
lief corresponding vessel should leave
Holland for the United States. Two
Dutch ships in the United States ports
with cargoes of foodstuffs were to pro-
ceed to Holland, similar 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.
Dutch Government Baked
"Tbe agreement was explicitly tenn
porary in character, and, Delng de-
signed to meet an immediate situation
prompt performance was of the essence
The Dutch government at once DIS
closed. however, that it was unwilling
or unable to carry out this charterine
agreement which it had itself proposed
The first desire of the United States
was to secure at once shipping, as con
templated by the agreement, to trans
port to Switzerland foodstuffs mucf
needed by the state.
Zone difficulty after another was
however, raised to postpone the char
tering of Dutch ships for Swiss relief
and although the reason was never 1or
mally expressed, it was general!
known that the Dutch shipowner
feared lest their ships should be de
stroyed by German submarines, evel
though on an errand of mercy ant
though not traversing any OF the SO
called danger zones proclaimed by tn
German government.
THAT this fear was not wholly unJus
tilted has unhappily been shown by tn
recent act of the German government i
sinking the Spanish ship Sardinero out
side the danger zone when carrying
cargo of grain for Switzerland, an
after the submarine commander ma
ascertained this fact by an lnspectio
of the ships papers.
Threat From Germany
an respect of Belgian relief. I'll
Dutch government expressed It's pres
ent inability to comply with the agree
,nent, on the ground that the Germa
government had given Holland to ur
dcrstand that it would forcibly prever
the departure from Holland Of the col
responding ships, which under tn
agreement were to leave coincidentall
for the United States. The Dutch goN
crnment even felt itself unable to 81
cure the two cargoes of foodstuf1
which under the agreement 1t was pc
rnitted to secure. since here again tf
German government interviewed an
threatened to destroy the equlvalel
Dutch tonnage which under the agre
ment was to leave Holland for tt
United States.
Nearly two months have elapst
since the making OF the temporal
chartering agreement. and the pr
posed general agreement has laid eve
longer without reply on the part
Holland Meantime, German threa
nave grown more violent, with q we
to preventing any permanent agre
ment and of forcing Holland to viola
any temporary agreemnt.
''On March Z, through Great Brltal
a final proposal, expiring on the 1ot
was submitted to Holland A reply h
been received, which, while in itself u
acceptable, might under other conc
tons have served as basis Tor fu
ther negotiations.
Holland Without Free Will
But the events to which | ha
alluded mad served 70 demonstrate CO
ciusively that we have been attempt
TO negotiate where the essential ba:
for an namely, the me,
ing of free wills-is absent. Ev
we're an agreement concluded there
lacking that power of Independent
tion which alone can assure p,
formance.
81 say this not in criticism of
Dutch government l profoundly sy
pathize with the difficulty of her po
ton under the menace of a militia
power which has in every way demo
strated its disdain of neutral righ
But, since coercion does in fact exi
no alternative is left to US but to
complish, through the exercise of {
indsputablc rights as a sovereign, Il
which is so reasonable that in OIL
circumstances, we could be confident
accomplishing it by agreement.
steps are accordingly being taken
Put into. our service Dutch shipp