New Britain herald., 1915-11-08
ALLIED BLOCKADE
 ILLEGAL, SAYS Us. American Shippers Should Seek Redress Through Government RATHER THAN PRIZE COURTS


 dination of His Neutral Rights in
 Carrying on Foreign Trade.
 Washington, Nov. S.-Publication today of the American note to Great Britain denouncing as ineffective, il- legal and indefensible" the attempted blockade against Germany and Aus tria, gives notice to citizens of the United States whose legitimate for eign trade is interfered with by the allies that they should seek redress directly through the diplomatic chan nels of their own government rather than through prize courts.
 This latest note, delivered by Am bassador Page to the British office, is an exhaustive document t,allng with Englands interference with American trade since the outbreak of the war. In effect, it is a commun1- cation also to France, which has fol- lowed her ally in the treatment or overseas commerce, as a copy was presented to the French embassy here.
 Thirty-Five Points.
 Thirty five points are treated in the note, and, in conclusion, Secre- tary Lansing declares that the United States "cannot with complacence suf- fer further subordination of it's rights and interests to the plea that the ex- ceptional geographic position of the enemies of Great Britain require or justify oppressive and illegal prac- tices." The relations between the United States and Great Britain, he says, must be governed not by expedl- ency but by esta blished rules Of 1n- ternational conduct; it is of the high est importance to neutrals not only of the present day but of the future that the principles of international right to be maintained unimpaired, and the United States unhesitatingly assumes the task of cha m plOning the rights of neutrals.
 Heretofore Americans whose car goes destined to neutral countries have been seized on the high seas and delayed or confiscated have been ad- vised to exhaust legal remedies abroad before asking the United States government to seek reparatlon. Now, the note says, the government 'feels that it cannot reasonably De expected to advise it's citizens to seek redress before tribunals Whlch are' in it's opinion, unauthorized by the un- restricted application of internat1ona' law to grant reparation, nor to re- frain from presenting their claims o1- rectly to the British government through diplomatic channels.
 Look to Government.
 Since the United States does not recognize the existence of a legal blockade, Americans may look to their government for protection in the shipment of non-contraband car goes not only to neutral countries continguous to belligerents but di- rectlv to or from the enemies of the allies. Ambassador Page, to whom the note was sent by special messenger for delivery to the London foreign Dfice. was instructed by Secretary Lansing ito impress most earnestly unon the British government that the IInited States" must insist that the 1 relations between it and his majesty s government be governed, not by a l nolicy of expediency but by those es- l "a b1ished rules of International con- duct to which Great Britain in the past has held the United States, to ac- 1 count when the latter nation was a 1 belligerent engaged in a struggle for l national existence"
 Impartial Attitude. 1 Declaring the United States "un- ! hesitatingly assumes" the task o1 championing the integrity of neutra l rights, the note proclaims that the 1 American government will devote its l energies to the task, exercising al 1 ways an impartial attitude.
 The note, nearly 15,O00 words il length, was made public by agreement between the state department and the British foreign office. It carries witf it a volumious appendix, giving tht text of the American naval instruc tions issued in 1862 and a summary and table showing hundreds of yes sels detained by British authorities since the beginning of the presen war.
 I1ansing's Statement.
 In conclusion, after an argumen 1 on the law and fact, Secretary Ian sing says:
 1T believe it has been conclusiy>' shown that the methods sought to n' employed by Great Britain to obtain and use evidence of enemy destina tion of cargOes bound for neutra ports and to impose contraban' character upon such cargoes are with
 out Justification; that the blockade
 upon which such methods are partl
 founded, is ineffective, illegal and in
 defensible; that the judicial procedur
 offered as a means of reparation. fo
 an international injury is inherently
 defective for the purpose, and tha
 in many cases Jurisdiction is asserte, in violation of the law of nations The United States, therefore, canno
 submit to the curta iment of it's neu