Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-12-30
WILSON'S NOTE TO ENGLAND.

WILSON'S NOTE TO ENGLAND.
There was not a drop Of grape Juice
in the note OF President Wilson 10 the
British government concerning British
interference with American shipping.
II was plain, to the point, firm and
couched in such language as not TO
permit OF any QuIbbling or mlsinter.
probation. Withal, however. il was
message Of peace and is not calculated
10 the legitimate foreign trade OF the
peaceful relations between the two
countries. The Houston Post in dis.
cussing the communication. says:
"The note OF the United States gov
eminent TO Great Britain with respect
TO he legitimate foreign trade Of the
United States ough; TO result In i'm.
mediate and material Improvement OF
our commerce.
THAT there has been some friction
is true, but Il was unavoidable. Ger.
tainly we could not have reasonably
o. expected that such a war as is now
in progress could have failed to affect
profoundly the foreign trade Of all
countries.
"The best that we could expect was
that just as soon as the arrangements
OF oversee commerce had emerged
from the FIRST weeks OF excitement.
our rights as neutrals would be well
defined and respected by all the bel.
llgerents.
And the note Of our government
TO Great Britain is for no other pur.
pose than to bring about an under.
standing that will relieve our com
merce from unrlghtful espionage and
unnecessary Interference.
1T is in all respects a friendly pro.
oeeding and is not expected to lead
TO any friction whatever with that
power. Moreover, in a more or less
degree. the negotiations which must
follow the communication OF the
United States will clarity the situation
for all neutrals.
No doubt there have been numer-
Gus instances OF interference which
were exasperating. and very likely the
public has heard Of few OF the details.
but the bellgerents' right OF search Is
a well established principle and this
We cannot overcome. The search IT,
self is not so injurious as the frequent
ly indefinite detention of cargoes, be-
cause our legitimate neutral com.
merce ought not to be nterfered with
at all, and II cannot be profitably car
ried on unless It is guaranteed i'm
munity from frivolous interference
and detention.
There is much commerce that we
should enjoy with Germany and Aus
tria, despite the desperate struggle
which Great Britain and France is
waging against those powers, and we
look for an early understanding that
will admit Of the expectation in our
own or neutral bottoms OF all goods
and merchandise that may fairly be
considered as noncon;raband.
"The cotton producers are especial.
ly interested in removing every en-
barge possible upon the movement OF
raw cotton, since there is an exceed.
ingly urgent demand for the staple in
Germany. And the negotiations that
would establish our right to commerce
with Germany may also be invoked
TO establish our right to commerce
with Russia, for Germany's blockade
OF the Baltic is probably more efficient
than England's blockade Of the North
Sea.
mo doubt the announcement that
negotiations are in progress with
Great Britain looking to greater Sc
curly Of our commerce win start
some lingo talk on both sides of the
ocean, but the questions under dis
cussion will not prove difficult of adj.
justment and We may expect much
improvement. in our foreign trade as
a result of an understanding that will
certainly be reached without unneces-
sary delay"