War Trade Board Files: Shipping and Tonnage, Switzerland, Vol. I
The Swiss Minister ( Sulzer) to the Chairman of the War Trade Board ( McCormick)
My Dear Mr. McCormick: In replying to your letter of May 15,1 may I be permitted to write you briefly on the subject of exports to Switzerland, in order to correct some misunderstanding of facts which still seems to exist.
As you are aware, commodities exported to Switzerland must be divided into two distinct groups:
- 1.
- Those consisting solely of breadstuff grains, the supply and transportation of which have been generously guaranteed by your Government, and
- 2.
- All other commodities which Switzerland must procure from overseas to maintain her economic life.
There are among these latter commodities a number of important foodstuffs and feedstuffs (edible oils and fats, sugar, corn and oats) and other articles, such as cotton, leather, industrial fats, metals and oils, indispensable to the maintenance of her population and upkeep of her industries.
[Page 1626]The transportation of the articles of group 2 has not been guaranteed to Switzerland and she must charter the necessary tonnage, depending almost entirely on neutral ships.
As no ships had been placed at the disposal of Switzerland for the transportation of breadstuff grains until April, no other course was left but to turn over to this service as many neutral ships as could be procured by my Government. In this way eleven Spanish steamers, aggregating 30,833 tons (not nine or ten thousand as seems to be your impression) have been secured. As those ships could not be used for the transportation of articles of group 2, for which they were originally chartered, I requested from the beginning that the War Trade Board replace this tonnage as soon as possible. This request was looked upon as entirely fair and reasonable and you accepted it without hesitation.
In addition to those eleven ships, the five following Spanish boats have been carrying material to Switzerland: the Jacinto Verdaguer, the Cataluña and the Aragon, loaded with 16,331 bales of cotton, and two smaller boats, the Marquez del Turia and Juan Maragal, carrying 3,800 tons of general cargo.
However, I beg to point out that those steamers were not chartered by the Swiss Government, but were by mere chance secured for the account of private shippers during the suspension of exports to Spain. This Legation and the chartering agents of my Government in London exerted every effort to charter these steamers for the shipment of grain. The owners and agents, however, categorically refused such cargo and, because of the higher freight rates obtainable, would only consider accepting general cargo. It was only after I recognized that the conclusion of pending arrangements with Spain would mean the return of those ships to the Spanish service and that they would be entirely lost to Switzerland that I agreed to loading them with the cargo in question, for which the Swiss importers had to pay exorbitant prices. Of course, I have never requested the War Trade Board to replace those five steamers.
Inasmuch as the steamers Hans Mœrsk and Oluf Mœrsk had been especially chartered by my Government for the transportation of kerosene and gasoline, in both of which commodities Switzerland’s supply is practically exhausted, you will appreciate how great was my disappointment when those charters were not approved, especially as the Shipping Control Committee did not consider the Norwegian steamer Hermion as a substitute for those two ships but as forming part of the tonnage to be used in the transportation of Swiss breadstuff grains.
While it may be that the two boats in question can not be employed as economically as larger steamers in transatlantic service, they were [Page 1627] and still are the only solution afforded for the immediate relief of the situation, as no other neutral steamer could be found for the transportation of those commodities. The situation has not altered and, as you know, there is no possibility of chartering an American steamer for Cette before the end of July. I understand that through the efforts of Mr. Munson, the Food Administration is now considering the release of those steamers for one trip in June, and I earnestly hope he will succeed.
While in this special instance I could not help being somewhat disappointed, I do not want to close without telling you how glad I am to see from my records that grain shipments are proceeding satisfactorily and that the tonnage placed at our disposal since the beginning of April aggregates approximately the 60,000 tons agreed upon. I wish to express to you my heartfelt thanks for your untiring efforts in our behalf, which I appreciate all the more as I realize fully the great difficulties you have to overcome. I have more than once cabled my Government never to lose faith in the United States as Switzerland would not be left in the lurch no matter how great the difficulties to be contended with, and I am glad to see my assurances fully verified. I can assure you that the anxiety of the Swiss people has been greatly allayed by the prompt action of the United States, which I know well enough to be to a great extent the result of your personal efforts.
I hope that conditions will continue to improve from now on and that the Swiss transportation situation will be on a more solid basis by fall.
Believe me [etc.]
- Not printed.↩