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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Edward N. Hurley, Chairman, United States Shipping Board, and Herbert Hoover, Director, Food Administration, to Raymond B. Stevens, Vice-Chairman, United States Shipping Board and United States Representative, Allied Maritime Transport Council

Chronological Copy.

Cablegram Received   June <20, 1918.> 14121   JCM

Origin Opnav Washington                      Ser. No. S.M. 178

C-3 June 21

29 ADR

CONFIDENTIAL

Simsadus.

Boards Navy 178 For Stevens from Hurley and Hoover. Referring Shipmission 2131 We agree with resolution Allied Maritime Transport Council recommend that Belgium Relief should have first call on 200,000 tons non-war zone vessels acquired under Swedish agreement. We are further of opinion entire 200,000 tons should be chartered to Belgium Relief.2 Additional tonnage above need thus secured will effect release of war-zone ships now under charter to them. Further more such arrangements will secure equal distribution of joint obligations assumed by British and American Governments

     We have assumed with British as permanent war policy obligations to supply 1/2 deficit of Relief Commission. At present following ships have been assigned to meet emergency Corn<,> VIKING<,> TALABOT<,> SAINT CEVIKES<,> DICTO<,> CENTRA. 20020 S.M.178

Benson.       

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. Handwritten date is confirmed by time/date stamp. A note appears after the signature, reading “N.B. Word ‘Corn’ comes clear but does not seem to be the proper word. C/10”.

Footnote 1: This document has not been found.

Footnote 2: The Commission for the Relief of Belgium was originally founded by Hoover, and grew into a sizable multi-national organization that transported millions of tons of food into Belgium, then under German occupation, and distributed it to the population. With American entry into the war, the U.S. withdrew from participation in the CRB, but it continued to function under Dutch and Swedish oversight. Encyclopedia of World War I: Commission for Relief of Belgium. For more on the use of Swedish vessels, see: Stevens to Hurley, 23 June 1918.

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