The Holly chieftain., 1916-06-02

tion Of ships by forcing or inducing
pose Of seizing their mails, or thereby
obtain greater belligerent rights as 20
such ships than they could exercise on
a%sning the high seas; for nan there is; in The the
United States. no legal distinction be-
tween the seixure Of mails at sea-
which Is announced n abandoned. and
their seizure from vessels voluntarily
The British and French practice
amounts to an unwarranted Limitation
Of the use by neutrais of the worlds
respondence. The practice actually fol-
lowed by the allied powers must be
said to justify the conclusion. there
fore. for - that the snnSsncsment ra,;en Of Feb.
illegal practice had been abandoned to
make place for the development of an
other. more onerOuo and vexatious in
character.
Hague 1sDe visIateA.
The present practice is violation
not only of the spirit Of the announce
OF The Hague ccnysntion S Spon Sf me whics nHis
i is concededly based. Aside from this,
It is 4 violation Of the prior practice
Of nations which Great Britain and her
tabiish ana maintain. ~
The arbitrary methods employed by
the British and French governments
have resulted most dlsastrously to citi--
zens Of the United States. Important
papers which can never be duplicated.
or can be duplicated only with great
difficulty, such a. United States pat
legal papers relating to the settlement
of estates. powers Of attorney. fire in
surance claims. income tax returns and
similar matters. have been lost.
no1 t,f,o
ments have caused great loss and in
convenience by preventing prompt de
livery of goods.
,, ,; business opportunities are lost by
failure to transmit properly bids, speci-
fications and contracts.
Money Oraer Lists Missing.
Business correspondence, relating
to legitimate and bona fide trade be-
tween neutral countries, correspond
ence OF q personal nature, and also
certain official correspondence such as
money order lists and other matter
forwarded by government departments.
stroyed.
interests injured, but rights of prop
erty are violated, and the rules of in
ternational law and custom are palp-
ably disregarded.
offense has led to such losses to
American citizens and to possible
responsibility of the United States to
repair them. that this government will
press claims for full reclamation upon
the attention of His Majesty's gov
ernment and that Of the French Re-
Yublic
Details of Unitea states stand.
The government of the United
States is inclined to- the opinion that
the class of mail matter which in
liar securities is to be regarded as Of
the same nature a. merchandise or
other articles of property and subject
. to the same exerciss of belligerent
notes and other negotiable instru
lent of money are. Il is considered, also
to be classed as merchandise.
documents. money order lists and pa
pers of that charaoter, even though re-
lating to enemy supplies or exports"
unless carried on the same ship as the
lon Of this government, to be regard
ed as genuine correspondence" and en-
titled to unmolested passage.
THE government Of the United
DDS employed by the British and
French authorities In interrupting
mails passing between the United
States and other neutral countries and
emies of Great Britain. can no longe.
tolerate the wrongs which citizens of
the United States suffer and continue
to suffer through these methods.
Rights Must BE Observed.
ITO submit to lawless practice of
this character would open the door to
repeated violations Of international
law by the belligerent powers on the
ground of military necessity, of which
the vioiator would be the sole Judge.
Manifestly q neutral nation cannot
be determined by belligerents or the
exercise OF these rights to be permit
ted or denied arbitrarily by the gov
ernment of a warning nation.
THE rights Of neutrals ere as sa-
cred as the rights Of belligerents and
must . be as strictly observed
States. confident in the regard for in
ternational law and the rights of neu-
trails, which the British and French
governments have SO often proclaimed
and the disregard Of which they have
urged as vigorously against their en-
emies in the present var expects the
French authorities in the treatment Of
malls from or to the United States to
cease, and belligerent rights; as ex-
ercised. to conform to the principle
governing the passage OF mail matter
and to the recognized practice of ma
tions.
"Only a radical change In the pres
ent British and French policy. restor-
ing to the United States its full rights
as a neutral power. will satisfy this
government.
ROBERT LANSING"
Me- oa..i. = rhslIa&a. Gee. c,,;k