New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-04
Latter Ask Why Private
Attorneys Are Given
the Preference.
MORE SUCCESSFUL
IN FREEING GOODS
State Department Calls on For
eign Office for Explanation
of Its Attitude.
rr,om The Tribune Bure.u J

Washington, Sept. 3. Why private
attorneys have greater success with
the British Foreign Office than the
State Department has is the question
Ambassador Page is asked to put 10
Great Britain in a telegram sent by
the department to-day.
Consul General Skinner reported
Yesterday that the British government
would not give any assurances cor,
corning the release OF Sl5O,OOO'OoO
worth of American cargoes lying at
Rotterdam until the French government
had been consulted. while certain prl-
vste attorneys, acting for American I'M
porters, had succeeded in liberanng
numerous cargOes and were openly ad-
vertising that they were able 70 90 So
Since the British Order in Council OIL
March is, which prohibited the snip
ping of goods Of German origin unless
shown to have been owned by Amer
can citizens prior to March !. the STATE
Department has been trying through IT'S
foreign trade advisers 20 obtain deh-
milton of that clause in the order Inc
british Embassy. after communicating
with London, reported that the goods
must have been actually paid for be-
fore March to be granted passage.
Complaints Of importers that goods
contracted for, and in many cases actu-
ally shipped Z. o. b., were thereby un-
Justly detained. were the basis oil
further protest to Great Britain, 10
which no answer has been received.
Protest without Eject.
Innorters alleged that although they
lad not actually paid for the goods the
title had passed to them, and they were
liable for payment and could be sued
in the German courts and their prop
erty in Germany could be seized. The
British Embassy cabled this protest 10
London several times without success
Ambassador Page was then asked 10
take up the question with the Foreign
Office, but returned no answer
William w. Bride. an ex-clerk IN the
Office of the Foreign Trade ADVISERS
here, is in London as the representa-
tive of firm of commercial attorneys
who advertise that he is accredited oy
the State Department and the British
Embassy" IL is stated here that MI
Bride has no further credentials than
any traveller mi xht have II personally
known to officials. and that the use OF
the names of the State Department and
the embassy is unauthorized.
Consul General SINNERS report that
private attorneys had succeeded wnere
the Department of State had failed
caused the departments instructions
to-day. Althoughsthe negotiations are
of strictly informal nature and not
involved in the diplomatic controversy
with Great Britain. the British course
is regarded as a slight to the United
States and is deeply resented.
Importers Impatient. t
Since the announcement in The Trib-
une last Monday that the British gov
crnment had ordered change in pol
icy and had consented to issue paYes
as fast as possible for cargoes which
could be shown TO be of actual Ameri-
can ownership. regardless OF payment
before March l, importers have
swamped the office of the Trade Ad-
yisers with inquiries concerning the
Progress of their cases.
The reply Of the Foreign Once to
Consul General Skinner that the French
government would have TO be consulted
before any action could be taken caused
the State Department TO wonder
whether the cases in charge of private
attorneys had been similarly referred
to Paris before being acted on fayora-
hlv