Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1915-03-19
ENGLAND DICTATES
TELLS THE UNITED STATES SHE
WILL GRAB ALL COMMERCE
ON WAY TO GERMANY.
CONSIDER NO C0NTRABAND
Hardest Blow at American Trade Is
An Act Against Goods of Neutrals
Germany Is Willing to Accede
to Our Plan.

in council explaining her embargo on
all commerce between Germany and
neutral countries was received with
such evident disappointment by high
officials of the United States govern
ment that a strong protest against it's
terms was considered in official quar-
tiers as certain to be made soon
Senator Hoke Smith, who saw Pres
ident Wilson Monday night, says that
the British order in council was high
handed and utterly intolerable"
The arrival of the British order, to-
gether with news of the flat rejection
by Great Britain and her allies of the
informal proposals of the United
States for the abandonment by Ger
many of her submarine warfare if Eng
land permitted foodstuffs to go to the
civilian population of enemy countries,
destroyed the hopes of President Will
son and his advisers for the early i'm
provement of conditions for the neu-
IFdl commerce. OIL IH6 WOrlQ.
Germany Accepted.
With much interest the official text
was awaited of the reply from Great
Britain to the war zone and food sup
ply proposals. Germany's acceptance
of practically all the American sug-
gestions had raised the expectations
of officials that the allies might do
likewise. The United States govern
that the foodstuffs would be distrib-
uted only to the civilian population of
Germany through the supervision of
authorized American organizations.
While the British order in council
explains some of the points made in
the note of inquiry from the United
States concerning prohibitions on
commercial intercourse between Ger
many and the United States, the fact
that an additional memorandum not
yet received here had been given to
Ambassador Page left the hope that
dyestuffs would be exempted from the
prohibitions as requested in the Amer
lean note, and that further details as
to shipments of cotton would be fur
nished.
No Precedent for Action.
Officials said no steps would be ta-
ken until the orders provisions had
been studied carefully, but it was
pointed out that the effect ON Ameri-
can commerce was far reaching, and
that there was no precedent for Great
Britain's action.
Summed up, officials interpreted the
British order as meaning that with
out enforcing blockade on the Ger
man coast itself, but by stopping
American ships anywhere on the high
seas, cargoes destined for Germany
would be taken into prize courts for
interminable litigation.
This would particularly affect the
shipments of cotton and other articles
hitherto listed as noncontrabands, and
would prevent also the Importation Of
dyestuffs from Germany, SO necessary
for American industries.
American Commerce Hit.
Perhaps more displeasing to Of
ficials than any other part of the
British order, however, was it's pro-
hibitions on American commerce con-
signed to neutral countries and sus-
pected of enemy destination. 1t is on
this point that the United States has
engaged in voluminous correspond
ence ever since the outbreak of hos
tilities. 1t constitutes the chief
ground on which the United States
will insist on the freedom Of it's COM
merce from undue interference.
Officials were undecided as to the
details of the course that would be
pursued by the United States, but it
was thought in some quarters the best
policy for the present would be to
wait an enforcement of the British or
der in specific cases, making each one
of these the basis for vigorous pro-
test. This was regarded as probable
because of the latitude which the
British order itself implies in cases of
cargoes plying between neutral ports
If proved not to be of enemy desti-
nation or origin