The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-01-07
FORBEARANCE OF
THE PRESIDENT
WAS EXHAUSTED
Continued from Page s.

can Am baSSadOT at London, depart
ment of State, Washington, Dec. 26.
1914.-The present condition of Amer,
lean foreign trade, resulting from the
frequent seizures and detentions of
American cargoes destined to neutral
European ports, has become so serious
as to require a candid statement of the
views of this government in order that
the British government may be fully
informed as to the attitude of the
United States toward the policy which
has been pursued by the British au-
thorities during the present war.
Friendly and Frank.
You will, therefore, communicate
the following to his majesty's princk
pal secretary of state for foreign af
fairs, but in doing so you will assure
him that 1t is done in the most friend
ly spirit and in the belief that frank
ness will better serve the continuance
of cordial relations between the two
countries than silence, which may be
misconstrued into acquiescence in a
course of conduct which this govern
ment cannot but consider to be an in
fringement upon the rights of Ameri-
can citizens.
The government of the United
States has viewed with growing con-
Germ the large number of vessels
laden with American goods destined
to neutral ports in Europe which
have been seized on the high seas,
taken into British ports and detained
sometimes for weeks by the British
authorities. During the early days of
the war this government assumed that
the policy adopted by the British gov
eminent was due to the unexpected
outbreak of hostilities and the neces-
sity of immediate action to prevent
contraband from reaching the enemy.
Injurious to Trade.
For this reason it was not dis
posed to judge this policy harshly or
protest it vigorously, although it was
very injurious to Ameri-
can trade with the neutral countries
Of Europe. This government confident
~ awaited amendment of a course of
action which denied TO neutral COM
merce the freedom to which it was en-
Titled by the law of nations.
1t is, therefore, a matter of deep
regret that, though nearly five months
have passed since the war began, the
British government has not materially
it's policy. The greater free
dom from detention and seizure which
was confidently expected to result
from consigning shipments to definite
rather than ito order" is
still awaited
It is with no lack of appreciation
Of the momentOus nature of the pres.
ent struggle, in which Great Britain
Is engaged. and with no selfish desire
to gain undue commercial advan-
-age that this government is reluc-
family forced to the conclusion that
the present policy of his majesty's
government toward neutral ships and
cargoes exceeds the manifest neces-
sity of a belligerent and constitutes
restrictions upon the rights of Ameri-
can citizens on the high seas which
are not justified by the rules of in.
ternational law or required under the
principle of self-preservation.
Articles listed as absolute contra
band, shipped from the United States
and consigned to neutral countries,
have been seized and detained on the
ground that the countries to which
they we're destined have not pro-
hibited the expectation of such ar
tiCles. Unwarranted as such deten-
tons are in the opinion of this gov
eminent, American exporters are
further perpleXed by the apparent
indecision of the British authorities
in applying their own rules to neutral
cargoes.
We feel that we are abundantly
justified in asking for information as
to the manner in which the British
government proposes to carry out the
policy which it has adopted, in order
that we may determine the steps nee
essary to protect our citizens engaged
in foreign trade.
In the case Of conditional contra.
band the policy of Great Britain ap-
pears to this government to be
equally unjUstifed by the established
rules of international conduct.
Not Cured by Reimbursement.
The effect upon trade in these ar
ticles between neutral nations re-
sulting from interrupted voyages and
detained cargoes is not entirely cured
by reimbursement Of the owners for
the damages which they have suffered.
That a consignment Ito order" Of
articles listed as conditional contra
band and shipped to a neutral port
raises legal presumption Of enemy
destination appears to be directly
contrary to the doctrines previously
held by Great Britain and thus stated
by Lord Salisbury during the South
African war:
"Foodstuffs. though having hostile
destination, can be considered as con-
traband Of war only II they are for the
enemy forces; 1t is not sufficient that
they are capable of being so used, II
must be shown that this was In fact
their destination at the time of their
eof1ure