Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-20
Treves Conference OH Ship.
ping Regarded as Open
ing Commerce
CONDUCTED BY HURLEY
Allies and America Get 3.OOO.'
600 Tons of Shipping in
Return for Food
By CHARLES 4. SELDEN
Special Cable TO Erening Public Ledger

OpyriDhf. iHfg. bU The Y. Y. TutcS co.
Paris. Jan. 20. --- Twenty y-seven hours
prior to the opening of the Peace Con-
ference there had been held at Treves
the first civilian conference since the be
ginning Of the war betwcc" Germans and
representatives of tn" = 'ries which
had defeated her. The .,aor Of con-
Quoting this meeting fell to an American,
Edward " Hurley. head of the shipping
board
The result of it was that America and
the Allies will get 100000 tons of GER
man shipping now in German ports to
be used to transport food to Europe and
to carry home American and Australian
soldiers. This agreement which the Ger
mans seemed glad enough to make. g
to last mt least to the end of the final
prolongation period Of the armistice, and
what will be done with the ships then
has not yet been decided.
Another matter TO be determined later
? is what Germany will receive in pay for
the use of these ships. The rate will be
the average current rate FOR the use OF
ships now existing. which will be esti-
mated soon. The money Germany re-
CeiNeS from this source she must eNpend
on account of such food SUPPLIES as may
be sent to her In the transferred ships.
The main fact is that America and
the Allies now get 100000 tons of cargo
ships and 100000 tons Of passenger
ships. All the passenger ships will be
ready Immediately.
United states Gets Largest ships
They will he used half and half as
tonnage by America and England for
transports England will take the small
er vessels because they are to be sent
through the Suez Canal on the voyage
to Australia America will take the
larger ships, Of which the lmpcrator is
/ the biggest. This new passenger tonnage
/ for the United states will increase the
I number of soldiers she can send home
/ each month by 10000.
of the = 100000 cargo tonnage, 1000
600 is ready for immediate use. The
rest soon will he All these craft are III
German ports chiefly Bremen and Ham
burg. Some smaller vessels in the Baltic
will be placed a. the disposal of Ger
many herself TO carry on her coastng
trade She will be allowed to man
these with her own sailors, but all the
other ships taken will be manned by
sailors from the American and British
navies.
The chief request the German dele
gates at Trevcs made was that all the
ships. including those TO transport
troops to America ana Australia, be
manned by German scSneu. This re-
quest of course, was fatty refused.
SO much for the material facts Of this
transaction. But in addition, Ameri-
cans in Paris attach much psychological
importance TO tn" fact that the beginning
/ Of civil and economic agreements with
Germany has actually been made. Il was
very evident that the hermanS them
selves were delighted to make such q
beginning They declared the German
people insisted that they give up thcs'
ships TO help IN the work Of Transports
tion Of food to Europe, but IN" delegate'
assured the German confcr""s that Ter
many would not be- enabled to get all the
food she needed thereby and must not
EXPECT il. Other countries in greater
need and not responsible for the war vii
have greater consideration, but Germany
will get such fats and grains as she ab
solutely needs.