

July 1, 1913. 



The Florists^ Review 



13 



w ^ iiL. 





BRITISH BAR i^ 

 BELGIAN PLANTS 



jgiMi.„ 





* >«• - 



Embargo by British authorities, placed on 

 all shipments from German-held Belgium, 

 will prevent the importation of azaleas 



|0T alone those importers who 

 each year handle Belgian 

 azaleas, palms, bay trees, 

 arauearias, spirssas, rhodo- 

 dendrons, etc., by the thou- 

 sands, but florists in practi- 

 cally every city in the coun- 

 try, have viewed with concern the atti- 

 tude assumed by Great Britain toward 

 shipments of plants from the belea- 

 guered nation of Europe. The first stir- 

 ring of alarm came when Great Britain 

 declared, in following out her * ' starva- 

 tion" policy, that she would observe 

 shipments originating in Belgium in 

 the same light as those coming from 

 Germany. The same ban that had been 

 laid upon the German shipments that 

 were making their way 

 to this country through 

 the neutral ports of 

 Europe, notably Eot- 

 terdam, was placed 

 upon Belgian products, 

 which had hitherto 

 found unobstructed 

 egress through the 

 Netherland metropolis. 



on lines they imported from Belgium. 



Then Great Britain assumed a stricter 

 position with regard to continental ex- 

 ports. June 15 was set as the last date 

 on which American-owned goods of 

 enemy origin might be shipped from 

 Rotterdam and similar ports. 



The question became, what Belgian 

 products are not of enemy origin? This 

 the British answered for United States 

 inquirers by stating that they were 

 those produced by Belgian people in 

 that part of Belgium not occupied by 

 nations at war with Great Britain, and, 

 conversely, that those originating in 

 the part of Belgium occupied by Ger- 

 man forces were regarded as of Ger- 

 man origin and therefore subject to 



British View. 



Great Britain held 

 that the commerce in 

 these articles was of 

 as great benefit to her 

 enemy as was that in 

 distinctively German 

 goods. Although the 

 American money, or 

 credit, that went to 

 pay for the Belgian 

 products was ostensi- 

 bly for the pockets of 

 the Belgian producer, 

 the fact was, declared 

 British authorities, 

 that it went into Ger- 

 man coflFers, either di- 

 rectly or indirectly. 



The order in council of March 11, 

 which virtually declared the continent 

 of Europe to be in a state of blockade, 

 was, therefore, applicable to Belgian as 

 well as German products. So strong, 

 however, was the protest from the 

 United States to this blockade, that 

 Great Britain wavered in her determi- 

 nation. She allowed goods already paid 

 for by American importers to proceed 

 on their way to the purchasers. A num- 

 ber of exceptions were made to the pro- 

 hibition of Great Britain, and a number 

 of distinctions drawn. From these, 

 florists of the country drew hope that 

 the embargo was virtuallj' withdrawn 



FROM BRITISH NOTE OF JUNE 24. 



"In deference to the express desire of the United States govern- 

 ment, arrangements were made toward the end of March whereby 

 United States citizens who might desire to import goods of Ger- 

 man origin via a neutral port were enabled to produce proof of 

 payment to his majesty's embassy at Washington. 



"When it became apparent that large quantities of enemy 

 goods were still passing out through neutral countries, his majesty's 

 government felt it necessary to fix a definite date after which such 

 shipments must cease to enjoy the special immunity, theretofore 

 granted, from liability to being placed in the prize court. 



"June 1 was accordingly fixed as the date after which the 

 privilege allowed in the case of such shipments should cease; but 

 once more a special favor was granted by extending the date in 

 exceptional cases to June 15. 



"His majesty's government regret they cannot continue to 

 deal through the diplomatic channel with individual cases, but they 

 would again point out that special provision is made for the con- 

 sideration of such cases in the prize court." 



the provisions of the order in council 

 of March 11. The state department 

 advises The Review that when the mat- 

 ter was taken up with the American 

 consul general in London, he cabled the 

 department at Washington as follows: 

 "Goods originating Belgium are pre- 

 sumptively enemy origin, and it lies 

 upon those interested to prove that 

 Germany would not profit from intend- 

 ed operation. In practice this is dif- 

 ficult to prove, as Belgium representa- 

 tives not in position to ascertain mate- 

 rial facts. Am assured each case will 

 be considered upon merits, and when- 

 ever it can be demonstrated that trans- 



action is for benefit Belgians to exclu- 

 sion of German advantage, permission 

 will be granted." 



Three days later, however, the consul 

 general at London cabled that "author- 

 ities decided to consult cabinet respect- 

 ing exports from Belgium, and will not 

 decide particular questions until cab- 

 inet acts." 



Britain Bolts Door. 



The daily papers of June 25 gave to 

 the public the memorandum from Great 

 Britain on the blockade, from whi(?ii 

 the extracts on this page are taken. In 

 this, the British authorities stated their 

 intention of maintaining the blockade 

 and the embargo. Under the circum- 

 stances, this means 

 that the door is closed 

 on Belgian plants. 



The circumstances 

 are that the plants 

 that the florists of this 

 country want for next 

 Christmas and for next 

 Easter are grown in 

 the vicinity of Ghent, 

 which is well within 

 the German lines. 

 Since this territory is 

 occupied by Germany, 

 it will be difficult, if 

 at all possible, for the 

 trade to procure its 

 annual supply of aza- 

 leas next fall. Accord- 

 ing to British logic, 

 what is of gain to the 

 Belgians in this terri- 

 tory is likewise of gain 

 to Germany, the en- 

 emy. Palms, arauea- 

 rias, bay trees, tube- 

 rous - rooted begonias, 

 rhododendrons, spiraeas, 

 ' azaleas, and the other 

 plants imported by the 

 florists of the United States by the 

 thousands each year, will be lacking 

 this coming season if the embargo is 

 not raised. 



The leading importers of the countrv 

 are working diligently through the De- 

 partment of State at Washington in an 

 endeavor to gain the admission of the 

 plants so much needed by the trade. 

 More than 1,000 dealers in foreign 

 goods and more than 100,000 stores in 

 the United States have petitioned Sec- 

 retary Lansing and, through him. Presi- 

 dent Wilson, to obtain release of the 

 embargo. Among the busiest of the 

 number are members of this trade and 



