The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-11-10
proof can rightly be made: to rest
EupOn the claimants. -.,.. y, ~.

IPiool CaH TlBntly De made to rest
Eupon the claimants. ,,,- -, -.tt
II. The greatly increased imports
or neutral countries adjoining Great
,Britain's enemies can not be accept
ed as laying down just or legal rule
Of evidence" that commodities are des-
tined for reexportation to the bellig-
erents. Such a rule, it is argued,
offers too great opportunity for abuse
by the belligerents'' and is opposed
to those fundamental principles of
justice which are the foundation Of
the Jurisprudence of the United States
and Great Britain"
l3. Attention is directed to the fact
that Great Britain admits that her
|exports to neutral counries have also
materially increased since the present
war began. THUS Great Britain" says
the note. "concededly shares in Gre
Eating condition which is relied upon
as sufficient grourd to justify the
interception of American goods des-
tined to neutral European ports. If
British exports to those ports should
be still further increased, it is obvious
that, under the rule of evidence con-
tended for by the British government
the presumption Of enemy destination
Tcouid be applied to- greater number
or American cargoes, and American
trade would suffer to the extent that
British trade benefited by the increase
Great Britain can not expect the
United States to submit to such mani
|fest injustice or to permit the rights
;of its citizens to be so seriously i'm
paired"
IA. Whatever may be the conjec-
tural conclusions drawn from trade
statistics, the United States maintains
the right to sell goods into the gem
eral stock of neutral country, and
|denounces as illegal and unjustifiable
ANY attempt Of a belligerent to inter-
fere with that right on the ground
that 1T suspects that the previous sup
ply of such goods in the neutral coun-
try which the imports renew or re-
place has been sold to an enemy. That
is a matter with which the Neutral
vendor has no concern and which can
in no way affect his rights of trade.
Moreover, even if goods listed as con-
'ditionai contraband are destined to an
enemy country through neutral
county. that fact is not in itself sufIi-
cient to justify their seizure
Is. In view of these considerations
the. United States announces that it
has no other course but ito contest
seizures of vessels at sea upon con-
jectural suspicion and the practice OF
bringing them into port for the pur-
pose, by search, on otherwise, Of OH
tainihg evidence" and adds that re
lying upon the rcgard of the British
government for the principles OF JUS
tice so frequently and uniformly mani
tested prior to the present war, this.
government anticipates that the
British government will instruct their
officers to refrain from these vexa-
itious and illegal practices"
Z 1G. Directing particular attention
to the socailed BLOCKADE measures
Imposed by the order in council of
March IL, the British note of July
!23 last is cited to confirm the inten-
,tion Ito establish blockade" After
over six months application of the
blockade order, the note says "thc
experience Of American citizens has
,covinced the government Of the
United States that Great Britain has
been unsuccessful in her efforts to dis
tinguish between enemy and neutral
trade"
\ II. The practice Of requiring q con-
lsignor to prove that his shipments are
mot bound to an enemy Of Great Brit
ain even when articles are on the en-
barge list Of the neutral country to
which they are destined is character
lied as "harassing to neutral traders"
} Is. While the United States govern
ment "was at first inclined to- view
with leniency the British measures
which were termed in the correspond
ence but not in the order in council
of March IL "a blockade" because of
the assurances Of the British govern