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Show J vi- ST" ST "SJ -y I DUTCH GRAIN SHIPMENTS TO STOP I , m 1 1 IS I READY I TO ACT I May Withdraw Offer to I Expedite Grain Ship- II ments to Holland. I WASHINGTON, April 24. The United States is prepared to withdraw its recent offer of three ship? to expedite ex-pedite shipments of grain to Holland, owing to the comment of Dutch newspapers, news-papers, accusing the United States of duplicity in the condition that equal tonnage should leave Dutch harbors for America, is to be taken as indica-five indica-five of the feeling of the Netherlands government and people Officials today expressed disappointment disappoint-ment and surprise at the reception accorded ac-corded the offer of the United States, which was based on a proposal of the Dutch government to alleviate suffering suffer-ing from a shortage of breadstuffs. The offer ws supplementary to President Wilson's statement of March 20th when the Dutch ships were requisi-1 requisi-1 tioned, that 100.000 tons of grain J would be provided for Holland if ship-were ship-were sent to carry it. b If Holland does not desire to take advantage of the offer to expedite the grain the original offer to furnish grain still holds but the time consum ed in sending ships trora Holland tc America will delay the relief the Unit-! Unit-! ed Slates is ready to grant. Comment of Dutch Press. Typical of the Dutch comment is an editorial in the New Rotterdam Courant. received by cablegram, as follows: ' In ihe last few days an official American Am-erican communication has been received re-ceived to the effect that three vessels, over two of which the American government gov-ernment has no jurisdiction, will be allowed ultimately to depart for Holland Hol-land on condition of The departure of vessels of equal tonnage from Holland to an American port This apparent friendly concession may really be tightening of the noose. If. as has been suggested, it is an attempt to make Holland purchase three cargoes of grain with three convevors. This would be a perfidious offer about which disappointment dis-appointment could not be too strongly expressed. We have not a high opinion of American good faith but that official duplicity could go so far and promises made in black and white by the president presi-dent of the United States, openly repudiated, re-pudiated, it is impossible to believe. Such shamelessness has not been exceeded ex-ceeded in this var. The American government must give unambiguous guarantee that the president's promises prom-ises of March 20 will be respected." AA. |