South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-01
Document viii Point Out That
United States Need Accept
no Responsibility if War Ma
terialS Reach BelIigerentS.
TINE AT HAND WHEN
POLICY MUST BE KNOWN
Asserts Allowances Were Made
at Beginning of War, But
Five Months Now Have
Passed Without Change.

wAsHINGTON, Dec. 31.-That the
United states government has prepar-
ed and is about TO send TO Great Brit
ain new note dealing specifically
with Great Britains $ attitude on con-
traband was learned definitely to-
night fror official sources.
1t is pOinted out 10 Great Britain
in the draft of the note on contra
band.
i. That a merchant of the United
States can sell 20 France. Germany,
Austria, or any nation ina the world
anything that is manufactured i'm this
country or is product OF this coun-
try.
-. That the United States has no
control over such freedom of com
merce, which IS the international right
OF the American citizen.
THE United States contends That
the sole duty OF preventing the pro-
ducts OF the United States from get
ting into the hands OF the enemy even
II they are contraband goods rests
upon the belligerent nations.
AS q cOllary OF this II is asserted
that it is not the duty of American
officials TO exercise espionage over
exports at ports in the United States.
No Treaty Obligations.
belligereut nations If they cannot pre-
vent the arrival Of vessels at destina-
ti0ns would nave no cause of COM
plant 10 the United states
The assertion is made that there is
= treaty or implication or express
.aon i'm the history Of maritime law
when imposes upon the United States
The duty a. preventing the export of
war materials or any other materials
10 any port I'm the world
The principle is admitted incidental
~ that filibustering expeditions should
he prevented
Secy of state Bryan said today that
be could not discuss these new propO-
siuons. At appears that the note is
being prepared and already in draft
form elsewhere In the state depart
ment than in the secretary of state s
office.
The text OF the American protest
to the British government on the
question of neutral shipping was made
public By the state department to-
night simultaneously with its publlca-
tion by the British foreign Office In
London.
Although the note is "a plain warn
ing 10 Great Britain that the present
condition OF American trade with the
neutral EurOpean countries Is such
that III il does not improve it maN
which has Ions existed between the
American and British peoples IL Is
throughout cOuched ia friendly term.
and there il no suggestion that the re-
fatious OF the TWO governments are
strained Following is the text o
the note forwarded 10 the American
ambassador at London by Sec'y o
State Bryan on Dec. 26-
Condition Il serious.
'The present condition eff foreign
trade resultine from the frequent sciz
ures ana detsnuons OF American cor
goes destined 10 neutral EuropCa
ports has become SO serious as 90 re
quire "A candid statement of the view
OF This government i'm order that th'
British government may DE fully i'm
formed as TO the attitude OF th'
United States toward the policy tina
has been pursued by the British au
thorities during the present year.
You viii therefore cOmmunlcat
the following To his majesty's princt
pal secretary OF stale for foreign af
fairs but he d0iag SO YOU viii assur
him that it il done IN the most friend
IS spirit and in the belief that frank
ness VIII better serve the cOntinuanc
OF cOrdian relations between the tW
countries than silence. which ma.
be misconstrued into acquiescence II
a course of conduct which TINS gov
eminent cannot but consider TO be an
infringement upon the right of Amer
lean citizens.
Made Allowances ut First.
The government of the Unite
states has viewed with ArOWing con
cern "A large number OF vessels lade
with American goods destined 60 neu
tral ports in Europe which have bee
seized on the high seas. taken int
British ports and detained sometime
for weeks by the British authoriue'
During the early days of the war thl
government assumed that the polio
adopted by the British governmcr
was due 20 the unexpected outorea
of hosriities and the necessity of lU
mediate action 10 prevent conlrapau n
from reaching the enemy For th
reason ii was not disposed TO jude
this policy harshly or protest DO Vis
oronsly. although 81 was MANIFEST
very injurious 10 American trade Wit
neutral countries of Europe. tn
government. relying confidently upo
the high regard which Great Brital
hrs 50 often exhibited in the past ga
the rights cf other nations. contidenu
auafted adoption of "a course or at
fftfs which denied 20 neutral CON
1.lerce the freedom to which it va
entitled by the law Of nations
frhisf expectation seemed 90 ne rei
dcrcd the more assured by the stat'
mcnt Of the f0reign Office early
Noxenihe- thaf the B-itish govern
menf was satisfied with guarantee
offered by me Norwegiau. Swedis
nxportatiQu of confrabsnd goods whe
consigned 40 named persons in N
terFltories 0f those governments. an