Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-16
FOREIGN TRADE
CUTTOGET SHIPS
FOR SOLDIERS
Half Million Tons of Shipping
Communicated For
War Needs

Washington, Feb. 16.--The Presi-
dent yesterday assumed absolute
control over the commerce of the
country by placing all foreign trade
under license of the war trade
board.
The primary purpose of the two
proclamations by the President re-
quiring licenses for all imports and
exports, is to conserve shipping in
order that tonnage now engaged in
trades may be withdrawn for the
transatlantic service for war re-
quirements.
Embargoes on imports are to be
ordered by the war trade board and
the outcome will be curtailment of
industrial activity. The board has
been preparing for the Presidents
action for more than a month. and is
ready to put its program into imme-
diate effect.
The trade with the Orient is ex-
pected to be the first affected, and
there was strong indications that the
silk mills would suffer heavily. The
imports of wool also may be reduc-
ed very substantially, il was stated
last night. The importation of essen
tial ores from South America will
continue, but the ban is to cover all
manner of commodities which might
be classed as luxurieS or which are
not Immediately essential in the pres
ecution of the war,
The War Trade Board made no
announcement of the restrictions
to be placed on import trade and 1t
is not likely to do so, as the policy
of the board is to issue licenses for
exports and imports as cases arise
without issuing any blanket rule to
cover all commodities under all con-
ditions. It was intimated the en-
bargoes would not be ordered at
once.
The extent to which the board is
expected to go in the restriction of
imports is indicated by the fact that
Chairman +. n. Hurley, of the Ship
ping Board, hopes to withdraw 500,-
600 tons of shipping from the i'm
port trade and to put it in the trans
Atlantic service.
Will Feel Effect Immediately
Officials of the board admitted,
however, that industries dependent
wholly or in part on imports may be
expected to feel the effects of the
orders, and the nations export trade
is to be Immediately under the
thumb of the board.
Trade agreements with neutral ma
tions have been under consideration
for many months, having been start
ed before Vance Mccormick, chair
man of the board, went to Europe
with the House mission in the fall.
Satisfactory adjustments have been
made with Switzerland, Denmark
and Holland, but sharp bitches have
occurred in the negotiations with
Spain and Norway.
The War Trade Board will seek
under the new system of licenses to
prevent American products reaching
South American houses which are
suspected of trading with Germany
or her allies. 1t is generally known
here that the War Trade Board has
extensive information on the connec-
tons of many such concerns.
The American exporter will be re-
quired to send his products to the
points approved by the board.
Officials were silent as to the ex-
tent of domestic industrial curtail-
ment, but it was learned that the
policy is to follow lines of luxuries
first and nonessentials thereafter. It
is admitted that 100000 tons of
shipping cannot be Withdrawn from
trades, and devoted as extensively as
possible to the transportation of raw
materials for war purposes, without
cutting deeply into manufactures.