Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-27
WILSON DENIES
DEAL FOR SHIPS
Had No Agreement to Sell Ger
man Liners to British,
He Says.
SENDS MESSAGE TO SENATE
Transmits With Note a Copy of an
Important Proposed Agreement in
Effort to Furnish All Infor-
nation on Subject.

washington, Feb. %. - President
wilson In reply to Senator Brande-
ge's resolution. informed the senate
that ne had not entered into any
agreement or understanding with Off
cials of Great Britain concerning the
sale of former German liners seized
in American ports, nor had he en-
tered into any agreement or under
standing with respect to what dispo-
sition should be made Of them by the
Uuited States.
AT the same time he transmitted to
the senate a copy of a proposed
agreement" between the allied and as
sociated governments at Paris, under
which each is to retain as its own
"the complete title to and use Of all
ships captured, seized or detained
during the war as war measure"
This agreement further provides
that In case the ships so retained by
any allied or associated government
are in excess Of the claims of such
governments for war losses In mer-
chant ships such government shall not
make claim for share Of other
ships ceded under the treaty of peace.
Ships so ceded will be distributed
among the other governments 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 rhe ships
to be retained by the United States,
Brazil. China. Cuba and Siam would
exceed their claims for merchant tom
mage lost the commission shall deter
mine reasonable value of the excess
and that these countries shall pay
such sums to the commission for the
credit of Germany in making repara-
tion 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 au-
thority to bind it to that act, "but
must depend upon its taking the same
view in the matter that is taken by
the joint signatories of this agree
| ment."
The presidents message to the SEN
ate follows:
81 have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of a resolution passed by
the senate on February IA requesting
the president to inform that body
whether any, and if SO, what agree
ment or understanding exists between
him and officials Of Great Britain con-
cerning the disposition by the United
States of America of the German
ships which the shipping board is pro-
posing to sell, or which were acquired
by the United States after the termin-
alton of hostilities between said
United States and the central Euro
pean Teutonic powers
1.-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 II, 1917, authorizing the presi-
dent to take over for the United
States the possession and title Of any
vessel under its jurisdiction, under
enemy ownership, or under the regis
try of an enemy country. The gov.
ernment of the United States is moi
in possession of any ex-German yes.
sells except those. taken over under
this resolution.
Under an armistice agreement be
tween the German government and
the allied and associated powers Ger
tain German vessels were taken ovel
primarily for the transport Of food te
Europe, including Germany, and fol
the transportation Of troops. OF the
tonnage so taken over, certain pas
senger vessels were allocated to tht
United States temporarily for the pur
pose of repatriating American sol
diers. When the transportation o.
our troops was completed, these yes
sells were all surrendered In accord
ance with the agreement under which
they were temporarily allocated tt
this government for such use.
"There is not nor has there beer
any agreement or understanding be
tween the president of the Unitet
States and officials of Great Britain
concerning the sale Of the ex-GermaI
vessels in the possession Of the Unitet
States, nor is there any agreement o.
understanding with respect to wha
disposition shall be made Of thos'
ships by the United States"