The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-12-31
GREAT BRITAIN
SHARPLY DIVIDED
ON U. S. PROTEST
NEWSPAPERS ATTRIBUTE 1T TO
GERMAN INFLUENCE.
DENY TRADE lNTERFERfO Win
Insist However That England Has
Right To Stop Vessels II She Has
Information That cargoes Win
Finally Reach Germany.

I Z.
London, Dec &c. England is sharp.
Ily divided into two factions today as
a result of the protest of the United
States against the right Of search on
the high seas.
Official England accepted the pro.
test in the friendly manner in which
lie was made.
Unofficial comment places the ac-
ltion as unfriendly and attributes ID
to German influence
Even in official circles there is a
disposition to contest the claims OF
the United States that Americas ex.
port trade has been seriously inter-
Ifered with by Great Britain.
English officials and newspapers
generally declare that inasmueh as
lGermany is to be starved out there
must be no relaxation of the efforts
lof the allies to prevent either abso-
lutte or conditional contraband reach
ling Germany.
Not since early days of the war has
popular interest been so centered on
a session of the British cabinet as to-
day. 1t is a special meeting and was
called to take up the formal protest
filled by the United States against the
fright of search and seizure now en-
forced by the British warships on the
high seas Sir Edward Grey came
back from his holiday vacation to
handle the matter in person.
Inasmuch as Americas position Is
biased on the Interpretation or inter,
, national law made by the legal ex-
lperts OF the state department III
Washington 1t is not believed that
, the protest can easily be disposed on.
Certain members of the cabinet take
the position that there is no existing
precedent operating in the present
case. They hold that while the Unit.
ed States has the right to insist that
there be no interference with vessels
which carry cargoes which beyond
question are non.Contraband, Eng
land has right to stop vessels when
she has in her possession informa-
ton which shows that the cargoes
are conditional contraband that will
finally reach Austria and Germany
even if the cargoes are in neutral
in neutral countries.
This is especially the case in vari-
GUS cargoes of meat seized and claim
= ed to be owned by big American
packing firms. The same holds true
ia other kinds of food stuffs and car
goes seized consigned to Italy and
certain Scandinavian countries
Not Expecting Quick Reply.
Washington. Dec. 30.--An immedi-
! ! ate reply from Great Britain is not
: expected by this government to its
. . note of protest against British inter-
: ference with United States commerce
on the sea. This was declared by
high government officials who believe
that a reply will not be forthcoming
r short of two or three weeks. II is
pointed out that reply will be de-
layed because of the necessity of
great consideration and care in TIE
" manner in which il is framed. AL
so the situation is not considered inn
mediately critical or urgent. For five
months these conditions have existed
and there is no urgent important case
: involving American shipping now at
t. issue.
D The delay in the transmission of
< the note is puZzling President VIII
e son, The American note was COM
n pleted Thursday. according to the
e best authority. The president was
T. personally quoted yesterday as say
e ing that he thought II was delivered
Is In London last Saturday. Instead,
N press dispatches today recited that it
Ie was not turned over to the foreign
rs office in the absence OF Sir Edward
T. Grey until yesterday
~ Strong intention In high official
Of circles is evident today to back up
re the presidents protest Party lines
IN have been obliterated in congress TO
n stand by the president The White
&c House has received many, kilograms
Mt enthusiastically supporting the presl.
n dent in his action.
ty Packers and the Protest.
Sc Chicago, Dec. 30.--Flat denial thai
en- packages supposed to contain onlN
ST meat destined for belligerent coun
rd tries contained copper and also othel
~ contraband, was made today by AT
le- torney Alfred ORION, Representative,
Dy lof the Chicago packers in their com
ne Paint against ship seizure by Grea
no Britain. Attorney Urion admitted tC
day that while in Washington tire
days ago he presented a strong pro
test to the administration against tn
OF seizure of packers cargoes by Grea
al. Britain. He intimated that tails pr,
mt test. first made weeks ago, was on
aw of the determining factors IN the +,
I'M cent Wilson note to Great Britain
'or Shipments from Chicago packers an
&C. bunting in value to FIVE million do
ere lars have been seized by British VIA