New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-09-11
pr;tisll Accused
0 asSilent w arr
()nU.S.Slnipping
s,.rehasas Marine Association
Terms Closing of Cone
snlate at Newcastle Second
Blow Struck by England
r,ls Canal Ban First
r,slares Covert Fight FROM
abroad Is Rallying Opin-
ian Here Behind Subsidy

wAsHINGTON, Sept. ~. - 1reaS
e,;,.in il conducting silent war on
sm.y;esn shipping, according to the
s .,.s Merchant Marine Association.
!, statement issued to-day the assoc
..,;on discusses the alleged silent
~s,s and asks what will be the next
step in it. J.
The assertions of the association, 1t
i. expected, viii play prominent part
IN the debate in Congress over the snip
subsidy bill. 1t is known that the ad-
yoeates Of subsidy propose to make the
Utmost Of the British opposition to
American shipping in-~trying to put
snbsiav legislation through congress;
su .sirhe enforced closing of the United
e..t.s consulate at Newcastle because
- siJsged activities of Consul Slater
sna vice- Consul Brooks IN soliciting
t a., for American flag vessels"
ssys The association, SIS regarded as
~ ~ second step in this silent war. The
Az nas made in June last when the
.sw miles for the Suez Canal were
s.ssar,ulgatsd and tankers classified by
.ts American Bureau of Shipping were
s.yysd This action the British sub
.sarently found it wise to rescind and
Mare Is every indication that there will
i ! similar backdown in the consular
csc,
Hints Fill British Press
sThat the silent war actually is in
n,ogrsss is impressing itself upon dip
iswsts shipping men and members of
gssr,ssg who are following closely the
ss.rsss of legislation to aid the
irsr;sar merchant marine. Hints of
&. dstermination to defeat the Ameri-
- shipping bill have appeared in
prsish papers ever since it's introduce
Nm. and were revealed by Senator
ssusdell recently in speech in the
ssnate,
aTbat the Newcastle incident was not
Unexpected in British shipping circles
NV seems plain. ]. Sandman Allen,
pgssiding at the monthly meeting of
Ia council of the Liverpool Chamber
Il Commerce, on July a last was quot
d thus by British papers concerning
die United States merchant marine hill:
s.He said it locked as il difficulties
IL sufficiently serious and domestic
.bsracter had arisen which would de-
BIZ the passage of the bill. Meanwhile
gerything possible in the general in
trssss was being done, and he was sure
ne chamber fully realized that matters
/ this kind must be handled with dis
gssion by the business community, and
he government supported in such steps
Is they might think wise, once it was
realized that the government was awake
% the dangers, which they undoubtedly
wre.'
u. s. Defended Consul
'Very shortly after Mr.. Aliens sig
riissnt statement in Liverpool the
British government made it's first rep
sssentation to our State Department
4 about the alleged conduct of the New
,asse consular officers. That note said
4 TIE British had proof of the abuse of
Their gositions by Slater aud Brooks,
\ bat that it would defer withdrawal of
the otHtlsls' papers because the Ameri-
can government was conducting an in
vestigation. The State Department
then advised the British Foreign Office
that it did not consider the allegations
against the consular officers substanti-
sIed
Nevertheless, the British govern
ssnt withdrew the consular exequaturs
b August 20 and the consulate was
q tesed There was nothing for the
ansrican government to do except
4 nnsfer the two men 20 non-British
taantries.
The American Embassy at London is
teneucting another investigation into
'ae conduct of the Newcastle consulate
and the State Department has asked the
British for additional information in
the case. Thus far the British have
sent copies of affidavits-but unsigned
Snes--on which their action against the
consular officers was based Denial
siso has come from one of the persons
mentioned that he was coerced into
sssiilhg in an American ship on penalty
o not having his passport vised.
Backed Up on Canal Ban
!. IN the first move of the silent war;
sne ofitlsa withdrew quickly from their
position. The rule barring American
alAefs from the Suez Canal speci-
sea shat vessels must be in the high
" cases of Lloyds Oondon), Bureau
ssitas tFrance), German Lloyds (Ber-
y or British Corporation (Glasgow).'
:, Is9emlssion of the American Bureau
s~oalpplng, the official classification
snasty OF the United States, from the
q. automatically barred our tankers.
mamander Stevenson Taylor, presi-
~ ~ Of the American Bureau of Ship
rig and member of the governing
s .saacil OF the National Merchant Ma
r ny association, happened to be in
T;.spt'e' ana at once went to London.
v.ss aaa short time the canal rules
sl.S ia amended to permit ships CLASH
ss sa oy the American bureau TO have
WA s4 rights with the others.
4 ns,. newcastle Chamber of Com
s.t ils' me Lord Mayor and the New
q M oh- Tyne Improvement Commits
t,.sl. HsVe appealed to have the New
q pa,S consulate reopened. Even The
q a. q Liverpool, where attacks on
q sss,. su,pp'ng bill have been sharpest,
The United States government
i ,e.;seariy not satisfied that the case
I 81 the consul and vice-consul
q oss,; sssn made out, and in view of the
s aris OF controversy perhaps it
fsxrs ss nave been better if our gov
! b 3. Ell mad delayed action a week or
IN e.. The awkward thing, SO far
america is concerned, is that it's
y assssag is virtually nationalized. and.
stsfna u might be argued that in
ssssias Tor 1t consuls are not for
1t s any sectional interest or firm,
uoing general national service
/ OPPOSITION Here Vanishing
d Ia sS britain's silent war on Amer
81 ass.spping affects American senti-
81 M IA yWafd the pending shipping bill
.a 20 President Harding recently
q s,sssosge NJ. Carey, of the Omaha
4 suass o. Commerce, at the White
sas. =, Nv hen they learned in the
ne west that British interests
fsssss opposed to the shipping BILL Mr..
Va va the President, "a great MANY