Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-10
uses CENSOR TO
GET TRADE SECRETS
Lloyd George Admits System
Used to Get Data in Fight
for Commercial Rule.
U. s. WILL MAKE PROTEST

washington, sept S.--ENteNsiol VI
the British mail censorship from its
original purpose OF destroying all
trade to or from Germany, to the
field providing data for Great Britian's
fight for commercial supremacy, is
seen here in admissions made by
David Lloyd George, war secretary,
before Parliment, just received In full
in this country. Lloyd George said.
ut is the practice to communicate
to other departments concerned, any
information on matters Of public in
terest which may be obtained through
the censorship for such use to be
made of it as the particular depart
ment may consider advisable. The
government is prefectly within its
rights in using any information which
come. to it in these conditions for
any public and national purpose
Lansing Won't Comment.
This statement apparently had
been censored out OF cable dispatches
to the United States. When asked
about the matter tonight. Secretary
Lansing said ii had been called to
the attention Of the State department
officially, but declined to make any
comment at this time.
1t is understood however, that the
department will take more serious
view of Lloyd Georges Interpretation
of the British war Offices power and
will protest more vigorously than ever
against interference with neutral mail
on the high seas. Although the
American government has contended
strongly against the wholesale deten-
ton and seizures of mail between
neutral countries, as in violation of
international law, so far there has
been no formal charge that improper
use was being made Of information
CLEANED from opened neutral cores
pondence.
Delay vexes Officials
Officials here already were vexcd
at England's long delay in answering
the American censorship note of May
26, and it is probable that any inquiry
into the new development will ex.
press that feeling. A brief prelimi.
nary note was received July 20, but
it was inconclusive.
1t Is pointed out that the war min.
ister's attitude appears to be in fla,
contradiction to that expressed by
Lord Robert Cecil, minister OF trade
and reiterated in his statement Au-
gust Is, saying:
1T cannot be emphasized too
strongly that the general and stats.
tical information extracted from trade
letters, which has proved so invalu.
able to his majesty's government In
checking the supply of material sen,
through neutrals to many countries
and suppressing the export of these
goods, Is used for these purposes
solely, and never for the purpose Of
substituting allied trade for neutral
How Statement Arose.
Lloyd Georges statement arose
not in connection with enemy trade
or imports to neutral countries, bu,
entirely in regard to an attempt tc
build up protective tariff wall for a
new British industry against compe.
tition by importations from neutral
country. Some days before, Andrew
Bonar Law had said that Information
contained in the censored letter Of a
neutral oleomargarine manufacturer
indicated that competition would
come from that source and that the
export tax would be necessary to pre-.
serve the industry to the country.
Later, member Of Parliament asked
Lloyd George whether he was aware
that when censorship was instituted
we were told 1t was definitely and
solely for the object of preventing
information getting to the enemy
which would be Of advantage to them
and that otherwise the freedom OF
discussion and the secrecy of cores.
pondence would not be infringed."