Imperial Valley press., 1914-12-31
NOTE RESIDUE OF
FORMER OPINIONS


Washington, Dec. 31.-The United
States and Great Britain have agreed
to make the formers note to the lat
ter public without consent of the lat
ter. Russia and France are the al
lies of the British and France and
Russia have copies of the note The
state department says officially that
no nation, either before or after the
sending Of the note to Great Britain,
indicated desire to join in the rep
reservations.
When Secretary Bryan's attention
was called to the serious construction
Put on the note by some English news
papers and also to the report of the
increase of war risks, he laughed.
Questioned further, Mr.. Bryan said:
"There is nothing at all new in the
note. 1t carried a residue of opin-
ions that have already been in cases
which have arisen"
Mr.. Bryan declined to endorse the
published statements that threats and
warnings had been issued by Great
Britain and that we had told her we
could no longer tolerate" her mari
time activities in restraining the free
shipment of American cargoes. The
fact is that the note tells Great Brit
ain that American shippers have been
patient and that the state department
is "disappointed' over the failure of
Great Britain to remedy the condi-
tons which the department thinks fur
nish just grounds for complaint. Other
high administration authorities made
some very important revelations
which throw light on the purpose of
the government in sending Great Brit
ain old complaints anew. One of them
said very frankly that it was not to
be forgotten that the impression had
been produced by the press that the
United States favored Great Britain.
'The effect of the note was to re-
move that suspicion" he said.
The theory obtains at the capital
and in at least one important depart
ment that the giving out of bellicose
paraphrase of the note was in
tended for political effect in the Unit
ed States and not necessarily for in
fluence upon Great Britain. Officials
have already begun to anticipate the
reply of Great Britain. They say
they do not expect Sir Edward Grey
to lay down any proposition to the
United States which will be applicable
to all cases that may arise. 1t is ex
rected that Sir Edwards reply will
he as friendly in tone and purpose as
the United States suggestions and
that while it will declare that Great
Britain will not abandon either the
general right of search or search on
suspicion, she will "reduce to the min
imum" the detention of ships in port
and endeaVor to make searches com
plete at sea.
An official document to which lit
tie attention was paid was sent to
Great Britain about three months ago
by the state department, which states
the official position of the government
with reference to "rumors or Sus-
plclonS. This statement refers to
the duty Of a neutral to investigate
rumors or suspicious, but it states the
general principle held by the govern
ment and applied to the present and
long standing issue with Great Brit
am. The document referred to saws:
"A common rumor or suspicion that
merchant vessel laden with fuel or
other naval supplies intends to de
liver It's cargo to belligerent war
snip on the high seas, when support
ed by direct or circumstantial evidence,
imposes no duty on neutral govern
ment to detail such merchant vessel
even for the purpose of investigating
the rumor of suspicion, unless it is
known that the vessel has been pre-
vlously engaged in furnishing supplies
to belligerent warship."
Officials noted today that Great
Britain has been active in the seizure
of food cargoeS 1t is reported that
the Chicago packers will protest to
the state department against the seiz-
ure by Great Britain of twelve ships
with cargoes valued in the aggregate
at $5,530,000. The cargoes we're tax
en- into English prize courts.
1t was announced officially by the
state department that in the cases of
the Kroonland, Brindilla and John d.
Rockefeller at the time of seizure that
the vessels as a matter of right could
make claim for damages.
1t is stated at the state department
that about twenty American vessels
have been detained by British cruis-
ers, and all of these will probably
stand on their rights and make claims
for damages, whether or not there be
an agreement between Sir Edward
Grey and Secretary of State Bryan.
The state department has not taken
up the suggestion that additional laws
should be passed prescribing heavy
penalties against shippers for fraudu
lently placing contraband in non-con-
traband cargoes. The penalty is now
only $500, but it is said that there
have been only two cases in which