Evening star., 1940-03-06
Allies Seek 10 Settle
Blockade Problems
Raised by U. 5.
Officials Here to Confer
| With State Department
On Protested Policies
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Great Britain and France began
special efforts today to iron out diffl-
culties with the United States aris-
ing from allied attempts to blockade
Germany.
Frank Ashton -Gwatkin, an ad-
wiser to the British ministry Of eco
nomic warfare, and Charles Rist,
formerly deputy governor of the
Bank of France, were here to confer
with Secretary Hull and other State
Department officials.
The problems that confront them
are embraced within the series Of
American notes sent to Britain In
December and January. They in
volve:
/. Taking American ships into
contraband control ports within the
European combat area.
2. Censorship of American mails.
3. Undue delays in examining
American ships at Gibraltar.
4. Blocking German exports to the
United States.
On Road to Settlement.
The matter of taking American
ships into the combat zone-forbid-
den by the Neutrality Act-appar-
emily is on the road to settlement
without any agreement actually hav-
ing been reached. The British took
one United States ship into the COM
bat area at Kirkwall, Scotland, but
American reaction was unfavorable
and they have not repeated the step
1t seems likely they will refrain from
doing so hereafter.
Censorship of American mails still
is under discussion. but the disagree
ment has been partly solved through
the refusal of the American Post
Office Department to accept parcel
post and certain kinds of checks
money orders and cash in the trans
Atlantic airmail.
The delay to American ships al
Gibraltar has been decreased by the
British. The United States Govern
ment complained in a note early lr
the winter that the average delay
to American ships there was Il
days. This has dropped to 81 days
but United States officials think
there is room for further improve
ment
On the question Of blocking Ger.
man exports to the United States
Britain has agreed to make some
exemptions in the case of American
purchasers who had paid for Ger
man goods before January /.
To Discuss "Navicerts."
One question around which dis
cussions remain to be held concerns
the British "navicerts." These are
navigation certificates attesting that
certain items of cargo leaving the
United States of Europe may pass
through the British patrols. The
State Department cannot give Of
fetal recognition to the navicert
system. but British Embassy figures
show that American shippers are
making ever greater use of it.
The British and French experts
also are expected to discuss alliec
plans for rationing the imports O.
neutrals adjacent to Germany. Brit
ain is reported concerned over in
creased American shipments to sucl
neutrals, fearing that a portion o
the goods is going through to Ger
many. The British Embassy re-
Gently notified American shippers O
lubricating oil that navicerts woult
not be issued for the time being
for such shipments to several neu
trails adjoining Germany.
Airplane Exports Up.
Meanwhile, French and British
airplane purchases in the United
States were shown by the Commerce
Department to have made the Jan.
uary airplane export total of $25,-
48O.817 the second best for any
month in history.
In January, deliveries included
s12 2,053978 to France, s4040912 tt
the United Kingdom. S2.733.149 II
Australia, and $1,5l2,5 to Canada
Finland making its first sub.
stantial purchase in this line in tht
United States. also received l.
planes which, with equipment. wer'
valued at $1047,651. Turkey ane
Sweden also were large buyers.