Albuquerque morning journal., 1920-02-21
WILSON HASN'T 7
MADE ANY PACT
ABOUT SELLING
GERMAN LINER
President Says He Has Not
Entered Into Any Agree
ment or Understanding
With England As to Sale,
DRAFT OF PROPOSED
CONTRACT is GIVEN
Chief Magistrate, However,
Sends to Congress Outline
Of Proposed Compact
Which Has Been Drawn,

ICY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiREl
Washington, Feb. 20-President
Wilson in reply to Senator Brande-
gees resolution, informed the SEN
ate today that he had not entered
into any argument or understand
ing with officials of Great Britain
concerning the sale of former Ger
man liners seized in American ports
nor had he entered into any agree
ment or understanding with respect
to what disposition should be made
Of them by the United states.
At the same time he transmitted
to the senate copy of proposed
agreement" between the allied and
associated governments at Paris
under which each is TO retain as its
own the complete title and use of
al ships captured, seized or de-
| tanned during the war as war
measure, and to own the same
free from any claim of any of the
| allied or associated governments"
This agreement further provides
| that in case the ships so retained
| by any allied or associated govern
ment are in excess of the claims of
such governments for war losses in
merchant ships, such government
shall not make claim for a share
of other ships ceded under the trea-
ty of peace Ships so ceded will be
distributed among the other gov
ernments on the basis of ton for
ton and class for class of the ships
lost and not replaced, by the enemy
vessels seized or captured by them
during the war.
1t also provides that since the
ships to be retained by the United
States, Brazil, China. Cuba and
Siam would exceed their claims for
merchant tonnage lost, the COM
mission shall determine reasona-
bic value of the excess and those
countries shall pay such sums to-
| the commission for the credit of
Germany in making reparation for
war losses of merchant ships.
The president said that while he
felt confident that congress would
make the disposal OF the funds to
which he had agreed, he had no
authority to bind it to that act, but
must depend upon its taking the
same view in the matter that's taxi
en- by the joint signatories of this
agreement"
The presidents message TO the
senate follows:
IL have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of O resolution passed
by the senate February IA, re-
questing the president to inform
that body Whether any, and if so
what agreement or understanding
exists between him and officials of
Great Britain concerning disposi-
ton by the United States of Ameri-
ca of the German ships which the
shipping board Is proposing to sell,
or which were acquired by the
United States after termination OF
hostilities between said United
States and the central European
Teutonic powers.
THE ships for the purchase of
which bids have been asked by the
shipping board were taken over by
executive orders issued pursuant to
the joint resolution of congress of
May ~, 1917, authorizing the presi-
dent to take over for the United
States to take possession and title
of any vessel within its jurisdiction
under enemy ownership, or under
the registry of an enemy country.
The government of the United
States is not in possession of any
eX-German vessels except those
taken over under this resolution.
Under an armistice agreement be-
tween the German government and
the allied and associated powers
certain German vessels were taken
over primarily for the transport of
food to Europe. including Ger
many, and for transportation OF
troops. OF the tonnage so taken
over, certain passenger vessels
were allocated to the United states
temporarily for the purpose of re-
patriating American soldiers, When
the transportation OF our troops
was completed these vessels were
all surrendered in accordance with
the agreement under which they
were temporarily allocated to this
government for such use.
There is not nor has there been
.any agreement or understanding
between the president Of the United
states and officials of Great Brit
ain concerning the sale of German
vessels in possession of the United
States nor is there any agreement
or understanding with respect to
what disposition shall be made of
those ships by the United States.
II believe the above information
fully answers the senate inquiry,
However, / am transmitting here
with a draft of a proposed under
standing in regard to eX-enemy
merchant tonnage to which | have
given assent, subject to future ac-
tion of congress. as provided there
in. Although this understanding
which recognizes Americas right
with regard to German vessels
taken in our ports does not relate
to the disposition of such vessels
by the United States, l am, never
theless, transmitting 1t in order
that the senate may be in possess
sion of all the information there is
in any way relating to the vessels
in question l had intended to sub
nit this to congress at the appro-
pirate time, after ratification of
the treaty with Germany.
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON.
February 20, 1920"
The proposed agreement referred
to by the president follows:
The allied and associated gov
N ents whose signatures are hereto
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