The Washington herald., 1920-09-07

CON NIlNlED fkOM fAGE ONE.
can and German-American financial
houses in New York were placed on
the allied black list" and remained
there until the United States itself
declared war on the central powers.
Announce "Co-operation."
on June of this year Chandler
& Co. announced that they wpre
& Co. Inc. in negotiating with the
Hamburg American Line for
twenty-year agreement. The an
nouncement explained that the
Hartman interests agreed TO sup
American flag, promptly to re-
open the most important of the Old
Hamburg American trade routes"
1t was that agreement to which
Admiral Benson. chairman of the
noUnced on August Is the board
had given its official sanction.
Although both Chandler & Co.
and Hartman & Co. have affirmed
that all ships owned by their Anil
ated companies are under American
registry. with no German interest.
All CT VI nun NNAs IL as A'NaAaNN
in Washington yesterday that six
years ago this month the Chandler
firm was operating on behalf OF
German government financial in
terests in the United States.
List of Those Interested.
p. NJ. Chandler is the head OF the
executive committee OF the Amer
lean Ship and Commerce Corpora
tion, which has made the "CO-Op-
erative" arrangement with the
Hamburg American Line. His as
sociates on the committee include
Gerhard NJ. Dahl and J. Leonard
Replogle. The other directors OF
the American Ship and Commerce
Corporation are K. G. Roe bling
Spruille Braden, H. Farquhar Kerr.
J. X. Trimble. Parmely w. Herrick.
John r. Ogden. A. Z. CIegg, J. W.
Hartman. S. NJ Dahl. S. F. Pryor.
and Lester H. Monks.
Washington is keenIy interested
in the precise relationship of wal
ter G. Siechel. former American di-
rector OF the Hamburg American
Line. to the Harriman-Chandler-
Keer-Shipping Board enterprise. In
the latter part OF 1919 the Shipping
Board arranged for Siechel to
visit Germany to investigate the
proposed "co-operative" scheme. He
conferred with the directors Of the
more or less defunct concern of
which the late Teuton shipping
king. Albert BaIlin. was the creator
and chieftain. They were naturally
elated over the idea of rebuilding
their shattered fortunes on the
strong shoulders of American capi-
tai, ships and government support.
Brings Back Germans.
In March OF this year Siechel
turned up in Washington at Ad-
mfraI Benson's Offices in the Ship
ping Board. bringing with him Herr
HuldeTmann, Ballin's successor. and
one or two subordinate offiCials OF
the Hamburg American Line. Be
fore comforting with the Germans,
Admiral Benson received the as
surances of the State Department
that. even in our existing state Of
war with their country, he was at
perfect liberty to deal with them.
The Shipping Board had in the
interval of Siechers absence in Ger
many, decided that it was better
to have the Hamburg American link
up with a private American corpora
tion rather than with the shipping
branch of the United States govern
ment. At that time Mai. Gen.
George w. Goethals was at the
head of the American Ship and Com
merce Corporation and it was with
him that the German negotiations
were initiated.
Hartman Succeeds Cocktails.
Soon afterwards for reasons never
fully explained GoethaIs resigned