Imperial Valley press., 1915-01-13
Optimism Regarding the
Negotiations With Great
Britain Decreases T0dav

Washington, Jan. 13.-There was a
cabinet meeting yesterday to con-
slider Earl Grey's reply to the Unit
ed States in the controversy with
Great Britain over the seizure and de-
tention of American ships and car
goes.
After the cabinet meeting it was
noted at the state department that a
less optimistic feeling prevailed as to
the outcome of the diplomatic nego-
tiations now pending. Before the
cabinet meeting President Wilson took
occasion to say that he had not ex-
pressed any dissatisfaction over the
note of Sir Edward Grey. He made
ii plain that he had expressed no opin-
ion, stating that he had not yet read
the note.
The reasons for the growing un-
easlness among state department of
ficials can be set down to two causes
principally:
First, that the expected seizure by
Great Britain of the steamer Dacia.
the Hamburg American liner recently
given American registry, will render
the situation more acute.
Second, the appeals which are be-
ing made by shippers that the United
States shall stand firmly on the right
OF the United States to ship unmo-
Tested American cargoes destined to
neutral ports.
The Importance of this latter con-
tention, high state department Of
ficial said today, cannot be overesti-
mated. The ground upon which this
lnsistence is made by shippers is this:
The United States, Italy, Holland
and the Scandinavian countries have
agreed not to ship contraband to the
enemies of Great Britain.
There is no allegation on the part
OF Great Britain that her patrols have
seized any United States vessel with
contraband, the ultimate destination
OF which vessel was known to be a
German or Austrian port.
Whatever contraband has been
shipped by the shippers of the United
States has been sent to some port of
the neutral countries named.
The law admits the shipment of con-
traband at the risk of the shipper and
the obligation to take contraband rests
with the belligerent whose interests
would be affected by its receipt in the
enemy's country.
United States shippers, having ad-
mttedly sent no contraband direct to
the enemies of Great Britain, the
United States contention is that
american shippers are within their
rights and have not violated the neu-
trality which has been guaranteed bv
the United States.
The United States contention is that
i contraband cargoes out of the Unit
ed States are finding their way into
Germany and Austria through one of
the neutral European countries, Great
Britain's remedy lies with that coun-
try and not with the United States
The state department and the White
House are making efforts to present
commercial statistics to show that Sil
Edward Grey's figures were incorrect
and misleading. Collector of the Port
of New York Dudley Field Malone was
at the White House today and al
though it is officially said that he was
there "on another matter" it is known
that the statistics from New York are
the most valuable in meeting the is
Aue raised by Sir Edward.
When he was leaving the White
House Mr.. Malone was asked to ex
plain some of the ways in which Brit
ish practices were harmful to Ameri-
can trade.
He cited as an example that it costs
shippers from $500 to 81 900 day
to charter ships and pointed to the