The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1915-01-07

than to order Is still awaited.
1T Is needless to point out 10 his
| INA icStys government. usually the
champion Of freedom of the seas and
/ rights Of trade. that peace. not war
is the normal relations among nations.
and trade between countries which are
NOT helllgcrcu'S should not he inter
| fered with by those who are at war
unless such Interference Is manifcstly
an imperative necessity. II l. with no
| lack of attention to the momentuus
/ struggle IN which Great Britain Is en-.
| gagged and with no selfish desire To
guin undue commercial advantage that
this government Is reluctantly forced
! tO the conclusion that the policy Of his
| najpsty's government toward neutral
! ships and oargOes exceeds the manifest
necessity If bclligerCnt. aud cuusti-
tutc, restrictions upon the right Of
/ American citizens upon the high scus
/ that are not Justified by the rules uf
| International law or required under
! the principle of self preservation.
THE government at the United
/ States docs not at this time intend
/ discuss ihe urupriety of including Ger.
| tain articles In the lists of uhsulu,.
aud conditional cOutrahand which ha,,
/ been proclaimed 10y his majesty. open.
! 10 objection rs many OF these articles
seem to this government. the grounds
: of protest l. that all classes of articles,
when bound for neutral ports. are held
| up.
AN articles seem Ia he coutrahaud
when shipped from the United States
and consigned o. ucutHil countries
! They have been seized and held on III,
| uuunds that the countries tO which
| they ure destined have been engaged
IN the cNportOtiun of such articles.
! Warranted rs such charges are. In the
| opinion of this government the ncu-
| trails are pcrpleNed 10y the INDIGESTION
| at ~ British government IN upulyine
| their own rules tO neutral curgnpS. IN
| one case Il shipment of copper from
! this country To n specified cunNeupr iu
| sweden was detained because. ms Wus
stated, Sweden had placed no cmlur
/ 20 on copper. On the other hand. .if
| ally exports no copper. Int as this 20,
r1mput was Informed. put into effect
I decree that shipments Ia ltulinr
! cpu>iglieeS ~ order which arrive a.
| ports Of Italy cannot be- exported o.
| trans-Shipped. The only exception
| which Italy makes is of copper which
/ NusscS tAruugl that country in transit
! 10 another country. In spite of thv-,
/ DEGREES however the British foreign
pfiice has thus far declined 10 affirm
! that copper shipments consigned to H..
/ ais win not he mulc~tcd on the hleh
! seas. Seizures are now numerous ana
/ DELAYS so prolonged that exporters are
afraid to send their copper to Italy,
steamships decline To- accept il. and In.
SurerS refuse 10 issue policies upon +.
In II word. legitimate trade Is being
greatly Impaired through uncertainty
rs Ia the treatment which 1t may ex.
pect ut the hands of the British au-
| thuritieS.
I'VE feel that we are abundantly jus
| titled IN asking for information as to
the manner in which the British gov.
erumeut proposes to carry out the
program they have adopted In order
that we may decide on the steps ne,
eS~nry to protect our citizens engaged
In foreign trade In their rights. from
the serious losses to which they
liable through ignorance aud hazards
To which their cargOeS are exposed.
''ln the case Of conditional contra
hand the policy of Great Britain APP
pears to this government Ia lie equal.
~ unjust, according to the established
rules of conduct. Ia evidence OF this
the fact Is established that number
II American cargoes seized consist of
food stuffs aud others articles Of com
mon use In all countries, which are adj.
mittedly relative contraband. In spite
OF the presumption of innocent use
because destined to neutral territory.
the British authorities make these
seizures and detentions without, 50 far
as we are Informed being In possession
of facts which warranted u reasona-
hie belief that the shipments had, In
reality. a belligerent destination. as
that term Is used in international law,
Mere suspicion is not evidence. and
doubts should he resolved in favor of
neutral commerce. not against 1t.
THE effect upon trade because Of
these articles Of trade are seized *
not entirely cured by reimbursement
Of the owners Tor the damages vhi,v.
they have suffered, after inyestiga tion
has failed to establish an enemy deS
tination. The injury Is TO American
commerce with neutral countries, as a
whole, through the hazard OF the en-