Evening star., 1941-08-29
1853 Refugee Vessels
Slated for Seizure
In Hemisphere
Foreien-Floe Ships
Will Be Placed on
Trade Routes
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Pan-American shipping prospects.
hard hit by diversion of merchant
vessels to transport of war sup
plies. frightened today with the
announcement Of an inter-Amerl-
can agreement which eventually Is
expected to place up to 168 refugee
foreign vessels in service along tne
trade routes of the hemisphere.
In concert with the United States,
which already has requisltloned 81
war-idle ships of Axis or Axis
dominated countries, the II Amer
ican republics announced jointly
their intention of utilizing all such
vessels tied up in American ports.
Unoffcial sources estimated "a
ships were available in Central
and South American ports in addi-
ton to "a other foreign-flag bot
toms which the Maritime Commits
sion has labeled as eligible Tor
United States acquisition.
Compensation Promised.
The Inter-American Financial
and Economic Advisory Committee,
representing the American govern
ments. said yesterday 1t had for
mally adopted a plan "for the ef-
fectiye use in the interests OF inter-
American commerce OF the 1orelgh
flag merchant vessels lying inactive
in the ports of the American Con-
tinent."
Nations whose ships were taken
over under the plan OF the inter-
American Committee would receive
lust and adequate compensation -
after the present war is over.
Just how many of the requisitioned
ships actually would be used In IN
ter-American trade was undeter-
mined. About 40 Of the vessels
seized by the United States have
already been placed in various SNIP
ping services The Maritime Com
mission assigned many Of them TO
transport war materials to Great
Britain and the Far East.
Included in the "a foreign ships
on the commissions prospective ac-
ouisition list are II French vessels,
among them the liner Normandie.
No steps toward their acquisition
have been taken by this country.
presumably because the State De-
partment did not wish to offend the
Vichy government so long as the
latter did not effect complete COL
10 ohoration with Berlin
Al Ships Allocated.
A recapitulation showed the Mari
time Commission had allocated Al
of the "a ships it has taken over
under the Ship Requisition Act. Six
went to the Army and Navy, three
to the Union Steamship Co. OF New
Zealand and the remaining 3S to
nine United States operators. Only
few have not actually gone into
service, and they will be in opera
ton in the near future.
In addition to the vessels taken
over under the Ship Requisition Act,
IL Axis ships have been seized by
the Treasury Department under the
Espionage Act of 1917, making a
total of Sc foreign vessels against
which proceedings have been in
Stituted.
In addition to the United States.
Axis ships already have been seized
by Mexico, Venezuela. Peru, Costa
Rica, Ecuador and Cuba. The num-
Der of Axis ships in South and
Central America is reported to be
as follows: Argentina, II: Brazil,
80; Mexico, IL: Venezuela. 10; Chile.
Q: Uruguay. S; Colombia. 8; Costa
Rica, 2, and Cuba, Ecuador and
Panama. each.
A few days ago Argentina pur-
chased Is italian vessels stranded in
Argentine ports by the war. At the
close of the war Italy has the op-