Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-10
POLICY UNSUPPORTABLE
IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
State Department Investigating
English Firms Access to Amer
lean Business Secrets.
RETALIATION LAST RESORT
No Radical Change Expected, But
Gradual Easing Up on Part of
Allies Looked for From
Legislation.

The recent statement by David
Lloyd George, the British secre-
tary of war, during a tariff debate
in parliament that trade informa-
ton obtained from interrupted
neutral mail can be put by Great
Britain to "any public and ma
tional use" has aroused the at
tention of the Washington gov
ernment, it was learned last
night. :,
Any proof that Great Britain
is making use of such informa-
ton in her struggle for CONNER
clal supremacy would probably
be followed, it was said last night,
by vigorous steps here to bring
about an alteration of any such
policy,
Mr.. Lloyd Georges statement
is regarded by officials here as
opening the way for practices
which might work inestimable
injury upon American business
interests.
Sau pn1ir1y SO
While the State Department yester-
day declined to make any comment on
the subject pending a full investiga-
ton of the exact meaning Of the War
Secretarys declaration, there were
many evidences that the policy he sug-
gested was viewed as unsupportable in
international law.
Discussion of the subject brought out
the suggestion that although the Phe-
Ian amendment denying use of Ameri
can mail, cable. telegraph and express
privileges to citizens of foreign coun-
tries interfering with American mails
was stricken out of the retaliatory leg
islation recently passed by Congress.
the measure enacted contains au
thorizations which might be construed
as broad enough to allow the President
to retaliate against unfair use of the
censorship.
Many officials believe that If it can be
shown that British firms have an unfair
advantage over American firms because
of legislation passed as a result Of in
forma ton gained illegally from. the
censorship, the President could forbid
Importation to this country of the prod
ucts of whatever Industries are affect
ed. AS the disputed illegal use Of the
censorship looked to the raising Of a
tariff wall against neutral commerce.
and as this wall would be laid by indus
tries rather than by individual COM
panies, American retaliation. it Is ar
gued. could be pushed far as de-
sired.
Retaliation as a Last Resort
It has been well understood, however.
that the retaliatory powers were sought
from Congress by the executive branch
of the government for use only last
resort and in case diplomacy failed. Re-
taliation will not be seriously contem-
plated, it is believed, until a thorough
investigation of Lloyd Georges purpose
has been made. and then only IL there
are proofs that the trade information
actually is being put to the uses he
suggested.
No surprise is felt here at the state
ment of Lord Robert Cecil. British
minister of trade, that ''it is not likely
that Great Britain will change her
blacklist policy at the request of the
United States" Officials did not expect
enactment of the retaliatory legisla-
tion to be met by any announcement
of concession by Great Britain, but
rather by a modification here and a
slight change there. till the whole
trade administration has been eased
up and softened to remove the most
threatening of Americas objections.