Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-01-07

vigorously strips and careoeq passing be-
tween neutral ports in the peaceful pur-
suit Of lawful commerce. which beuiger.
ents should protect rather than inter-
rupt The greater freedom IRON de-
tention and seizure which was confident
! ~ expected to result from consignine
shipments to definite cousignees, rather
than 10 order is stu awaited
ACTS NOT JUSTIFIED
Majestys government usually the cham
pion Of the freedom of the seas and the
rights Of trade, that peace, not war. IS
the normal relation between nations and
that the commerce between countries
which are not hclligerents should not be
irterferrd With by those at war unless
such Interference is manife~tly an imper-
alive necessity to protect their national
safety and then only to the extent that
1t Is necessity. 1t IS With no lack Of
appreciation OF the momentous nature Of
The present struggle. i'm which Great
Britain Is engaged and with no selfish
desire to gain undue commercial advan-
tage. that this government is reluctantly
forced 20 the conclusion that the present
policy Of His Majesty's government
toward neutral ships and carcocs exceeds
tho manifest necessity " bclligercnt.
and constitutes restrictions upon the
rights Of Amo rican citizens on the high
seas which are not justified by the rules
Of International law or required under
the principle Of self-preservat.on
The government Of the Omitted States
/ does not intend at this time to discuss
the proprietv of including certain arti-
Giles in the list of absolute and condi-
tional contraband. which have heen pro-
claimed by His Majesty. Open to objec-
ton as some of these seem to this gov
eminent the chief ground of present
complaint is the treatment Of cargocs Of
brtn classes of articles when bound to
neutral ports.
ARTICLES HAVE BEEN SEIZED
"Ar+tc,os l,s+ed nc absolute cortrob,,a
sbi,,o5 FROM, tho r-,itod c,,+.s ,rd con,
+pre., 10 ,e,,+ral countries have hnor
soizad and detained on tho ground that
the countries to which .-ov were ses.,n-
~ have ,ot nrobihi,.d tho oxnor+,,io,
of sucb .r+icles
"r-ru.,rro,.od nc suoL do,,,.ior
,ro n ,b,. oririor ~ mic .-,,.or,,,l,,+
Arron ar rt
,,lavaa ~. +ho ar,,oro,. inaooi.i,
IVA pr,,ish autbori.,os IN ,r,,,,.,ro
.t,, ,.,, ,,,oa :. .., ..,
For example. a shipment of copper
! from this country tn a specified con
/ siSnee in Sweden vas detained he
cause as was stated by Great Britain
| sweden had placed no embargo on
/ copper. or the other hand, Italy not
| only prohibited tho export of copper
but as this government is informed
! put in force a decree that shipments
20 italian consignees or "or to order"
which arrive in ports of italy cannot
be exported or transhipped The only
execution Italy makes is of copper
which passes through that country I'm
/ transit to another country In spite
| of these DEGREES. however. the British
foreien office has thus far declined to
affirm that conner shiplueuts consign-
ed 70 italy will NOT b.. nolested on the
high seas Seizures are so numerous
and DELAYS so nroloneed that export
org arc afraid TO send their conner 70
Italy steamship lines decline 70 ac
cant II and Insurers r.fraa to issue
no,icies unon II In q word . ,.friti.
maj. TRADE is beirg erea,lv ir,r,trad
thro,cb ,,ucertoir+v a., 70 tho tra,+
nav, ,.hiob :, ,,,o,. ,,>,,, o ~.
Of tb, nr,,isb a,,bori,to
~ ~ FL ol'iNENS'
I'VE feel that we are ahundantly justi-
fed in asking for information as to the
manner in which the British government
proposed to carry out the policy which
they have adopted in order that We may
determine the steps necessary to protect
our citizens, engaged in foreign trade, in
their rights and from the serious losses
to which they are liable through ignorance
of the hazards to which their cargoes are
exposed
IN the case of conditional contrahand
the policy of Great Britain appears to
this government to be equally unjust fed
by the established rules OF international
Aa ~ '''S' "''''Oo" -
""'N'e" ~ ''' i"N' 'i'"' Il ""'t'"c' VI ''c
->"''' 'N"'! o"i S"'S "-'OH ""'' "'c' 9''"'u
CONSIST Vi ioo"S'uis ana o'her art'c'es u
'o'H.no'i USE II" an countries "niN" are
"u''ll'eu'S 'e'a'lNe 'oi''i"u""u' !" sP''e