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Show FOR RELEASING SHIPPING FOR THE " AMERICAN TRADE PARIS, Dec. 20. As a result of conferences con-ferences between Edward N. Hurley, i chairman of the American chipping , board, and General Pershing plans "have been perfected whereby approximately approxi-mately one million tons of shipping now used to supply the American army in France will soon bo released for American trade. There are more than 150,000 tons of shipping now lying at American docks and the increasing need of providing for the products of American factories which have turned, from a war time to a peace basis has made some immediate move necessary. neces-sary. I The American authorities are pressing press-ing for control of German passenger ships tied up in Hamburg and other ports, so that they may be used in taking tak-ing home American troops i The total capacity of all passenger ships at present at the disposal of the American government will permit the ! return home of about 100,000 men a month. If the German passenger ships can be secured, it is estimated that this number can be increasod to 150.000 men monthly. The American officials here attach the greatest importance to the need of supplying merchant tonnage to industries indus-tries rate will bo reduced scon approximately ap-proximately to 25 per cent as a stimulus stimu-lus to British Industries. A similar step is being urged with regard to American insurance rates. |