New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-31
WASHINGTON LOOKS
FOR COOPERATION
Already Discussing Joint
Measures to Minimize
Cargo Searches.
SURE BRITAIN WILL
SATISFY DEMANDS
Confident She Will Agree to
Principal Contentious in
American Protest.
From rhs Tribune Bureau

From IN. Tribune Bureau
Washington, Dec. 30.-Great Britain's
reply TO President Wilson's note pro
testing against the interference OF that
country with American commerce is
awaited with great interest here. That
il will be quickly forthcoming IS taken
for granted, and that II will seek to
uphold Great Brltsin's acts is not
doubted
No one here believes that the con-
troversy will be settled in any but a
peaceful manner. course which, 1t is
pointed out, was clearly indicated By
the President when he declared that
Great Britain would be called upon TO
pay heavy damages at the end Of the
war for its interference with American
commerce.
The general points on which the
American note complains, and which
have been the basis of several specific
protests hitherto, are substantially as
follows:
/. American cargoes have been
searched on the high seas-a belliger-
ent right that is not denied-but the
ships have also been diverted TO ports
for further examination, circum-
stance held not justified under inter-
national law unless full proof Of hos
tile destination is presented at the
time. Serious loss, especially TO per
ishable goods, has resulted from such
delays IN ships voyage.
,. Great Britain has regarded abso-
lutte and conditional contraband as in
the same class. The general under
standing in international law has been
that absolute contraband includes
those articles which are intended for
use by "A belligerent force and directly
destined to u. Conditional contraband,
including foOdstuils, comprises the ar
ticles which are susceptible Of use By
an army or navy, but 1t must be proved
that, instead Of being intended for the
civil population of a country, these
products are destined for use by its
army and navy.
Should BE No Contraband Question.
3. Irrespective Of the controversy
over what constitutes absolute or con-
ditioual contraband in the commerce
between a neutral and belligerent
country, the note sets forth that IN
respect 10 commerce between two
neutral countries there ought 10 be
no question of contraband at all. for
the relations are those Of peace
and not Of war. Since the Civil War
the United States has upheld the
doctrine Of continuous voyage"
which permitted seizure Of a cargo
even in its journey between neutral
ports provided eventually it was des-
tined for a belligerent. The American
note, however, takes the position that
proof Of such hostile destination must
be shown al time Of seizure.
4. Tho American government con-
tends that a consignment sent 10 no
specific consignee. known as a 40
order" shipment. Is not Of itself sUs-
picious. Il claims that this may be
an important circumstance in proving
a case, but is of no inherent value IN
less other facts are adduced also az
the time of detention or seizure.
General satisfaction over the atti-
tude taken by the administration in
laying its protest before Great Britain
was expressed to-day by adherents OF
the administration, particularly among
certaih members Of the Senate whose
constituents are vitality interested.
They feel that the allegation previous
iy lodged against the administration
that il has taken a do-nothng attitude
in matters of abuses OF the character
complained Of in the note must now
lose its effect Friends Of the admin
istratlon assert that this clear deini-
tion OF the American position will help
the President and confound his critics
and those Of his Secretary of State
throughout the country.
There is discernible mere n diminu-
ton OF interest in the note, following
the White House suggestion of yester-
day that American shippers would
have 10 be scrupulously honest if they
expected administration backing in
thcig efforts TO relieve themselves
from the suspicious Of the British
naval authorities.
VIII Hold Back Publication.
At the British Embassy it was said
that the contents Of the American note
probably would not be made public in
Great Britain in advance of its pub
LEGATION here. The State Department
h; no immediate intention of making
the note public, and several weeks NAV
elapse and diplomatic interchanges pro-
coed until a solution of the difficulties
Is arrived at before the entire CORE
spondence giving both sides OF the
question is given to the public.
The question of false manfests, al
legged 10 have been disclosed through
some Of the British searches of Ameri-
can cargoes, was taken before Score
tary Bryan to-day and it was pointed
out that the present punishment for
classifying a manifest was insufficient
TO deter an unscruplous shipper from
taking chances on letting the added
profits of the venture wipe out the
light fine. Secretary Bryan had no
views 70 oyDreSs on this mint H.,
would not say whether the situation
demanded a revision of the laws gov
erning the classifying Of manifests for
oversee shipment and he had no sug-
gestlons 20 advance regarding changes
IN the present laws.
Mr.. Bryan told his visitors to-day
that IN framing the note to Great
Britain the authors Of that document
did not take into consideration foreign
trade statistics. In other words. the
note sought to express the views Of
the United States "a to how 20 right
an abuse which was wrong in principle.
IL did not attempt 20 20 back of the
principle TO ascertain what were the
actual gains or losses 10 American
trade through the present war
In view of the references in the note
TO present industrial and trade condi-
tons within the United States. some OF
Mr. Bryan's questioners were rather
taken aback by the explanation. This
is one OF the features of the note SUP
posed 10 be repeated in the first ac-
count Of its transmission practically in
verbatim form.
Already Discussing Cooperation.
Discussion has already turned TO
~. l.