Evening journal., 1915-01-01
America s NOTE
YET Unanswered
While England DelaysWaSh-
ington Will Announce
Ships That Have
Been Held Up
OTHER NATIONS
TO FIJI T PROTESTS
Bv The Inited -.

BY The United rfess.
WASHINGTON, jan New Years
greetings and gaiety was given scri-
Gus tone today in official and diplomatic
circles by general discussion and careful
study of the American note TO Great
Britain protesting against interference
with United States commerce.
Publication of the text OF the Ameri-
can protest, engrossed officials. diplo-
mats and private citizens. It was the
signal for great activity in the embas-
sizes, legations and chaneellories Of the
diplomatic corps.
Cable wires, almost idle, generally, on
holidays, were humming with reports OF
the American note TO their governments
by foreign representatives.
The State Department was stormed
with requests for copies of the note,
hundreds Of printed copies being dis
tributed TO diplomats, senators and rep
resentativcs Satisfaction was gener.
ally expressed today in official circles
with the tenor of the note. It's pacific
tone was the subject OF universal com.
ment, the general opinion being that
preliminary press reports had been mis-
/ leading in implying a peremptory note
10 the document. Absence of any phrase:
expressing moderation of shipping con
ditions was remarked upon.
Publication of the note of protest,
it was declared at the State Depart
ment today. will be followed
shortly by publication also of a com.
plete list of the American vessels de-
tanned and searched by British war
ships. Solicitor Cone Johnson. Of the
department. was today preparing this
list. together with summary OF such
representations as we're made TO Great
Britain in the individual cases.
This list, said 10 complete two score
OF ships, will probably be published to.
morrow. Starting with the seizure ol
the Standard Oil ships, John ID. Rock
efeller and Brindilla early in the wal
and including the latest seizure of tive
copper carrying vessels.
From foreign diplomats, It wa.
learned today that similar bills o
complaint" reciting seizure anS
search of neutral vessels and cargoes
are being considered by several 9th
er nations. particularly Norway, Swe
den and Denmark. Doubt was ex
pressed whether Italy also. because o
her strained situation. would also en-
ter protest to Great Britain.
Solicitor Johnson is also preparing
a lengthy trief to accompany the lis
of ships detained. which may be for
warded to the British foreign offc
supplementing the note Of protest
This will give in great detail the lega
precedents relief upon by this govern
ment 10 reinforce the generalization
of the note. This brief. however, vii
be for official consumption onl,
covering the field of internationa
custom as a technical argument TO
debate between the legal experts q
the two governments concerned in tn
, negotiations.
Officials expressed doubt .toda
. whether the alleged policy of Japa
in the Pacific, of which complaint ha
already been made in Congress,
the Pacific Mail Steamship Compan.
would cause the fling with Japan {
a note similar to that given Grea
Britain. They declared that Japan
activity had not been so extensive O
serious an interference with Amer
can shipping as that of England. RI
q presentations in individual cases I
e Japan, il is believed would be suff
r. cient without restoring TO th
= blanket" protest adopted in the negC
tiations with Great Britain.