Evening journal., 1918-03-21

/ afternoon. Addresses Will be made by
/ members OF tile Central Labor Union
and efforts will be made 10 have all the
employees Join the union.
/ Holland for the United states. Two
| Dutch ships In the United States ports
with cargoes Of foodstufIs were TO pro-
ceed 10 Holland. similar tonnage beine
sent In exchange from Holland to thC
United States for charter as in the case
Of other Dutch ships lying in the United
states ports.
"The agreement was explicitly tenn
porary IN character and. being design
ed 90 meet an immediate situation
prompt performance was Of the es-
sencc. The Dutch government az once
disclosed, however, That 1t was unwill-
! Ing or unable to carry out this char
/ .ering agreement which IL had Itself
I proposed. The -firsl desire Of The
/ United states was 20 secure AT once
! shipping as contemplated by the agree
Ement, TO transport 30 Switzerland food
I stuns much needed by the state. one
/ dimculty after another was, however
raised 10 postpone the chartering Of
Dutch .ships for Swiss relief. and, al
I though lhesreason was never formally
eSpressed, u was generally known that
The Dutch shipowners fearod lest ihsir
ships should BE destroyed by German
suhmatipss, even though on an errand
ofenieroy. and though not traverslns
l's-,s'r - ', rp'sT- -''li n danger z0nns nrO-
.elaiRed ~ pbs German government.
lli.lr ts.,s..ii.,ir WAS not wholly uniustl-
0ed has unhappily been shown by the
recent act Of the German government
In sinking the Spanish ship Sandinero
outside the danger zone when carrying
cargo OF grain for Switzerland and
after the submarine commander had
ascertained this fact by an inspection Of
the ships papers
"In respect Of Belgian relief. The
Dutch government expressed its pres
cnt inability to comply with the agree
ment on the ground that the German
government had given Holland TO un.
I dersiand that u would forcihly prevent
the departure from Holland OF the cor
responding ships which under tn,
agreement were to leave ooincidentl,
for the United States The Dutch gov
ernment even felt itself unable to Sc
cure the two cargoes OF foodstufis
(which llnder the agreement it was per
mltted TO secure, since here again the
] German government intervened and
/ threatened to destroy the equivalent
Dutch tonnage, which under the agree
ment was to leave Holland for the
United States.
Nearly two. months have elapsed
since the making OF the temporary
clustering agreement, and the proposed
] hnn fnt
without. reply on the part Of Holland
Meanwhile threats have grown more
lvioient with a view to preventing any
/ permahent agreement and OF forcing
Holland TO violate any temporary agree
ment.
ION March 7, through Great Britain
\ a lnal proposal expiring on the 18th
was submitted to Holland A reply
lhas been received which, while IN IT,
self unacceptable. might under other
conditions have served as a basis for
/ further negotiations But the events
to which ! have alluded had served
70 demonstrate conclusively thai
we have been attempting TO negotiate
where the essential basis for an agree
I ment, namely. the meeting Of free wills
Is absent. Even were an agreement con
cluded, there is lacking that power OF
Independent action which alone can as
ure performance
Il say this not IN criticism OF the
| Dutch government. / profoundly sym.
4 pathize with the diflculty OF her posi-
u ton under the menace of a military
power which has in every way demon
strated its disdain Of neutral rights
But since coercion does, in fact, exist
no alternative is left TO US but to ac-
complish through the exercise OF oul
ndisputable rights as sovereign
which is so reasonable that in other
circumstances we could be confident OF
accomplishing it by agreement
steps are accordingly being taken
10 put into our service Dutch shipping
lying within our territorial iurisdic.
tion. This action on our part and ths
similar action which is being taken by
! governments associated with us leaves
TO Holland ample tonnage for her do,
mestic and colonial needs. We have
informed the Dutch government thai
her colonial trade win be facilitated
{ and that she may az once send ship.
from Holland 10 secure the bread Ger
eals which her people require Thesi
. ] aAAANa VIII AN AANtAt IAAhNANA AAA " %
be immune from detention on our part
The liner Nieuw Amsterdam, whicl
came within our jurisdiction under al
agreement for her return viii o
course. be permitted at once 90 return
10 Holland. Not only So but she vii
be authorized 70 carry back with be
the two cargoes Of foodstuffs whicl
Holland would have secured under th
temporary chartering agreement, haN
not Germany prevented. Ample com
pensation will be paid TO the Dutcl
owners Of the ships which viii be pu
into our service and suitable provision
will 5e made 10 meet The possibnit'
Of ships being lost through enemy &C
iion
1T Is our earnest desire TO safeguar
10 The fullest extent The interests o
Holland and Of her nationals. by eX
ercislng In this crisis, our admitte
right TO control an property withi
our territory. we do no wrong 10 h0l
land. The manner in which we pro
posed 90 exercise this right ard ON
proposals made 90 Holland concurrent,
herewith cannot. ] believe. fail q
evidence 10 Holland the sincerity o
our friendship toward her.