The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-02-21
ANSWERS BRANDEGEE
QUERY IN SENATE
Commerce Committee Recon-
mends Deferring Sale of
Vessels

WASHINGTON. Feb. 20 - President
Wilson fa.ly denied today In a formal
communication TO the Senate that he
had any agreement or understanding
with British officials regarding dtspos-
ition OF the fleet Of former German
liners around which. since they were
offered for sale by the shipping board.
has RACED a controversy into which
congress. courts and government aSen-
cies have been drawn.
There is not nor has there been any
agreement or understanding between
the president OF the United States and
officials Of Great Britain concerning the
sale Of ex.German vessels In possession
OF the United States" Mr.. Wilson said.
responding specifically TO a resolution
by Senator Brandegee. Republican. Con-
nectlcut. adopted by the senate. nor Is
there any agreement or understanding
with respect TO what disposition SHAH
he made Of those ships by the United
States.
Il believe the. above Information fully
answers the senate inquiry.
AT the same time. the president
transmitted i copy II a hitherto unpuo-
IiShed trnrrtiNr n"r'cment reached IN
Paris tina, Germany eventually would
be credited neforc the separations COM
any surplus valuation OF the. ships In
excess Of merchant tonnage. losses OF
tn. United States during the war In
no cas-. would title TO the ships them
selves pass from the United States, the
agreement provided.
To Defer Sale
Before Mr.. Wilson's mcS>aE" reached
the senate The commerce SOmmitt"" had
decided 70 recommend passage Of the
=. 4 90
Inpes Hepublirau. WASHINGTON. defer
ring sale nf the ships Un,!! they shall
have been rcfltted for commercial SER
vice nv the shipping hoard and congress
shall have hand down L pationd' snip
ming poIi.y I'll" house merchant mar
inc committee had embarked on an IN
drpcndrnt Inquiry With Chairman Johh
Barton Payne and Vice chairman SfF-
ems OF the shipping board reiterStiHS
their divergent views on the adNisao"-
i,y Of present sale nt tho vessels. and
in tho district supreme court. NSSoCiate
Justice, BAILEY took under adTiscmCnt
onnlica,iop If counsel for The board
that ninctv-fNc rnilliOn dollars bond DC
u.rrd Of William Randolph Hearst
IN tax payer proceedings through which
he was granted a temporary injunction
against the boards plan TO sell the
nett.
Sale II former German cargo resse'S
nv the shipping hoard Will continue
Chairman Payne announced ton'ght rs
action Of the SeustS Commerce commit
tee and thu temporary INJUNCTION
granted W:llium Randolph Hearst
apply Gully 10 the thirty passenger
ships.
RidS have been invited by III" board
rnr ih,, purchase u twenty-five freight
ears ag,srcgatiug l0o.532 deadwe.ght
ton. I'd Ia the present twenty-ihree
ex-,nn,,v cargo carriers have been sold
by he board.
Thu proposed agreement transmitted
by the president was signed IN May.
lNl9. by Premier Lloyd George and Mrs.
Wilson Tho presidents signa'ur"
however. was made conditional on a"
appended "eNPlona'ioT' that u was
,nb;"ct /" The approval Of congress. In
Terminating the document the pr"si-
dent had intended 10 send II 10 the sem
atr after ratification Of the peace
treaty
The agreement covered all vessels
captured. seized and detained by the
allied or associated governments.
Officials recalled that IL was drawn
nm after = controversy between Premier
Ilovd GcurAe and Mr.. Wilson in which
the British proposal that all captured
seized or coded enemy ships I've pooled
ard r"-aliotted on the basis OF tonnage
losses was opposed By the president.
the resulting tentative understanding
beg madc public today. for the first
time although It's general purport has
been known.
The document contains five clauses
and the essence Of It's application TO
the thirty ships involved in the present
controversy lies In paragraphs tw" and
four. The first provides that all enemy
craft captured. seized or detained
before the arm!stica as n war measure