Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-04
ENGLAND sole ARB|TER'
IS QUESTION At ISSUE
This Country Must Contest Assumed
Right TO Pass on What Is
COntrabnnd.
AMBASSADOR PAGE REPORTS
He. Tells State Department OF Feel
ing I'm England" on Subject OF
Neutral Ships and Cargoes-ExpIi-
cit Declaration Being Prepared.
Especial to Tho Times-Dispatch. j

Especial to Tho Time -Dispatch.]
WASHINGTON. January 3-Walter
Page the American ambas ssador at
London. has mado n preliminary report
to the State Department relating
principally to 1.-The feeling in Eng
land" on the subject OF neutral ships
and neutral cargoes. and tho expected
communication from tho United States
on tho acute question Of what Is or Is
not legitimately contrnband OF war
II Is learned on .upquestionable au-
ithority Tonight from an official fn-.
miliar with Ambassador Pages COM
municn ton, that the United States must
now contest" the assumed right Of
Great Britain to be the arbiter OF con
trnband of war and of the right to
transfer over night articles from tho
conditional contraband list to the ac-
tual contraband list.
FLAGRANT CASE
OF COPPER SEIZED
This official said that in addition
to the charge of overnight" changes
in the status of conditional contraband,
there is tho flagrant case OF Great
brhnin's seizure of tho American cop
per cargo on the Dutch ship. Nieur-
dam. without n previous declaration
as TO copper and, in fact, without any
declaration or notification. to this gov
ernment of any kind whatever"
1t is admitted now by the State De-
partment that valuable opportunity
was overlooked in this first case. The
British ambassador came to the State
Department many days after the seizure
had been made, but merely said to the
State Department that the vessel had
been detained and not seized" Secre-
tary Bryan apparently let the matter
drop there. until the seizure OF copper
carsoes had become a habit. Now. it is
admitted, an explicit declaration on the
subject Of contrabnnd is demanded by ,
the oppressive policy OF Great Britain,
and q communication which will be
both specific and comprehensive is
being prepared and will be forwarded
All the officials agree tonight that
the note which has been made public Is
of secondary Importance compared with
the communication which will take is
sue with Great Britain as to her right
practically to declare all articles Of
commerce contraband of war and con-
ditional contraband OF war.
I'VE VIII have the opportunity" said |
Il state Department official, TO reveal
our attitude Oh contra band, the moment
Sir Edward Grey, as we expect, asks us ,
OF apply our view to the case, for in
stance. OF the kroonland or the John
-. Rockefeller. or the Pacific Ocean
cases IN which Cargoes. of coal were
seized after Great Britain had trans
fcrrcd fuel 10 tho absolute contraband
list.
WILL QUOTE GREAT BRITAIN
AGAINST lIEitSELF
Our reply ought to be conclusive rs
We shall be able to quote Great Brit
ain against herself. For instance. the
Marquis OF Lansdowne. attacking Rus
sia, S attitude (Which Is now the atti-
tude OF Great Brittany, said to tho Rus
Sian Foreign Once during the Russo |
Japanese War:
Ills MaJestys government eng |
land's) felt themselves bound TO re- :
serve their right by also protesting |
against doctrine that it is for the /,
belligercnts TO decide what articles are |
ms matter of course. and without ref
erence TO other consideration, to be |
dealt With as contraband OF war"
In the absence OF Mr.. Bryan, some
OF the officials pointed ont tonight
TO declare that copper is contra band
simply because she suspects while |
ltalE denies, that copper is bound to !
get across the Alps into Germany. In
the same way II will not do for Great
Britain to say that Denmark Imports
more oil than she ought to import. or
that the other Scandinavian countries
are importing more rubber rosin. ,
turpentine woolen manufactures than
Is normal especially when these allie
cations are denied by those countries
ana more especially when those coun
tries have agreed to embargo such
cargocs.
Those officials say that Great Britain
VIII be called upon to prove justiGca-
ton for declaration as to new articleu
HER OWN DECLARATION
IGNORED AND AROIISuEp
The British records at the State De-
pnrtment show that Great Britain.
Ignoring and abolishing her own dn,
elaration OF London, issued four ordsrs
In council, August 4. 1914; August 10
1914: September 81 and October 20 sii
tcontinu'd on Fifth Page)