New Britain herald., 1915-01-21
DISCUSS PROBLEMS OF AMERICAN COMMERCE Second National Foreign Trade Con-
 venti0a Held at St. Louis. SEVERAL ADDRESSES DELIVERED

the Movement of the American
 Commerce Today Is by Grace of
 the British Control of the Sea. St. Louis, Jan. 21.-Several hun ing commercial organizations of the United States attended the opening session of the Second National For eign Trade convention, which met here today.
 After preliminary addresses of welcome by Mayor kiel of St. Louis and by Samuel D. Capen, president of the St. Louis Business Mems league, an address was delivered by Secretary of Commerce Redfield.,
 Permanent orga niza tion then was effected and the convention began the consideration of the problems of international law as they affect Amer jean commerce during the present European war. The principal ad- dress on this topic was made by Pro- lessor John Bassett Moore, former counsellor of the state department.
 Arnold Delivers Address.
 After a discussion of the points raised in Mr. Moore's address the con- vention heard an address by John J. Arnold of Chicago on Foreign Banking, Loans and Credits"
 The afternoon session was to be devoted to a consideration of the gov ernment regulation of commerce as it affects foreign trade and to the problems of the small manufacturer who desires foreign trade.
 Result in Makeshift
 John Bassett Moore in his address asserted that the pend- ing negotiations between the United States and Great Britain in re- gard to the right to visit and search and British interference with Am erican ships and cargoes could re- suit in nothing better than a make shift that the points at issue could be settled only by the abolition Of conditional contraband, and the cooperation of neutrals and belliger- ents in the certihcation of cargoes
 Of the belligerent's right of visit and search, he said: The impulse of the belligerent is to cut off his enemy altogether and to prevent him from getting anything from the out side. The neutral, on the other hand, naturally desires that his trade should not be unduly hampered by an armed conflict to which ne is not a party.
 Under British Control.
 MT. Moore said that the movement of American commerce today was by grace of British control of the sea. 'If,' he continued, ''instead of the naval supremacy now exercised in it's own interest and that of it's allies by the largest consumer of our agricul- tural productions and foodstuffs, the control of the seas were actually con- tested by powerful hostile fleets, it is almost appalling to reflect upon what might be the present state of our commerce. The bare suggestion of such a predicament justifies us in giving to the subject our most serious consideration, for we must look to the future as wi observation-disclosures future as well as to the present."
 "A solution must, in my opinion," he continued, ''be sought if not in the abolition of the principle of con- traband at any rate in the adoption
 
 of conditional contraband', and CD a single list having been agreed upon, in the cooperation of neutrals and belligerents in the certifications of the contents of cargoes, so that the risk of capture may be openly borne by those who may voluntarily as sume 1t, and harassing searches and detentions no more be heard of.
 The seas outside territorial waters are the common highway of nations,' ne said. "and none of them has the right to render the use of that high way insecure. Few days pass in which one does not read a report of the blowing up of a merchant or fish ing vessels by contact With a mine. As a method of warfare this must be regarded as an atrocity which no na- tion is at liberty to perpetrate." Randolph Discusses Points.
 Among those who discussed the points raised in the address of Prof Moore was Carman F. Randolph of New York
 "An things considered he said, i've may hold the British government responsible for the far-reacning and severe restraint on international trade. AC nome 1t imposes most searching prohibitions on trade with the enemy. At sea it held up what ever neutral goods it chose to call con traband and choose to suspect of ul- innate enemy destination.
 we understand that if the allies shau finally ring Germany with hos tile nations and complete a state of siege by effectively blockading her l ports. she may lawfully bar even hos nital supplies and milk for babies. 1 So long as the allies do not hesege car,nany they cannot lawfully en-