Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-11
TRADING WITH ENEMY"
CAUSES COMPLICATIONS
British Firms With German AHili-
atoms in China Have to Rcor-
organize Business.
AFFECT AMERICAN INTERESTS
Refused Space in English Vessels for
Certain hlpments-Many Absurd
Situations Have Arisen-No Hard
ships on Small Chinese Merchants.

rEkJNG. September 10 = Endless
complications have been caused here by
he prohibition against trading with
ne enemy" which Great Britain is try
ing to enforce among the British firms
IN China. For months corporations
which nave had German aniliation have
"een reorganizinG and adjusting their
business so as to come within the re-
qn'remcnts OF the regulations against
trading with Germans and Aus,rians.
American interests have already been
considerably affected by the new order,
ana many American concerns are all at
sea as To how they will meet the new
regulations. English officials in some
cases. have insisted that American con-
Germs took over German goods in order
TO enable the German owners to escape
the new regulations. At Shanghai and
other treaty ports, American concerns
have been unable to get space in Brit
ISM ships Tor certain shipments In some
cases they were told by English off,
Gals that under the exigencies of war
the English lines ceased to he common
carriers. However. the later eXplana-
ton OF the refusal TO carry such goods
was that English ships have more Eng
fish freight than they can carry, and
this statement is substantiated in many
FORBID ENGLISH SUBJECTS
TO ACT On ENEMl'S BEHALF
The British minister, Sir j Ohm Jordan.
has issued a four-pace pamphlet. set
ting forth fully the regulations against
trading with the enemy Of Great Brit
ain and her allies. Like most legal doc
uments this is difficult OF iuterpreta-
ton and application to the complex con-
ditions which exist in the Chinese cities
a-ta
confusion arising from the regula-
tons is comparable to that caused by
the income tax law in America. Eng
lish citizens have found great difficulty
in applying tho terms Of the regula-
tons to the complex business conditions
of the Far East. The regulations are
extremely broad in that they prohibit
the payment Of any sum OF money to an
enemy or for the benefit Of the enemy"
They also forbid an English subject to
act In an" way on behalf Of An
enemy" in any sort OF financial opera
lions. They prevent EnElishmen from
directly or indirectly supplying goods
to an enemy or for the benefit OF the
enemy" Such a great leeway is per-
MISSILE in the Interpretation of these
regulations that EnElishmen connected
with firms which have had any sort OF
business Affiliations with German. Aus
TRAN or Turkish concerns have called
frantically upon their consuls and lega-
tons for a decision transactions In
which they have had part.
In the enforcement OF the new rcgu-
lations upon small business concerns
many absurd situations have arisen At
Ticntsin, for example, German baker
and Confectioncr was forced TO close up
his soda fountain. However, he is per-
mitted TO continue the sale of bread and
pastry. The explanation Of this action
was that il was undesirable TO have
drinking place where Germans might
conErecate.
In some Chinese cities the new regu-
lations arc being enforced without any
special hardship to small merchants.
This Is largely due to the good juds
ment of English officials who have 40
desire to upset small business and dis
arrange local conditions.