The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-09-08
U. S. HITS BACK
FOR BLACKLIST
Heavy RGprisdI Is Aimed at
Britain by Senate.
IS Tackled ON REVENUE BILL

tons That Injure U. S. from Use
of American Mails or Wireless.
Clearance to Vessels Refusing U. S.
Shipments to Be Withheld.
WASHINGTON - Legislation of
the most drastic character that will
permit of retaliation and reprisals
against the allies and effectually stop
the British blacklist policy, was writ
ten into the general revenue bill by
the senate.
An amendment proposed by Senator
Thomas of Colorado, and adopted
without dissent, empowers the Presi-
dent to refuse clearance papers to
any belligerent mechantman that re-
fuses American goods unless, and
only because of lack of cargo space.
An attempt to sail without clearance
is made punishable by heavy fine and
Imprisonment of two years. The ship
may be seized by the government.
The amendment, it was admitted,
was prepared with the approval Of
the state department This admission
is especially significant in view Of the
provision that the President is here,
by authorized and empowered to EN-.
ploy such part of the land and naval
forces of the United States as shall
be necessary to carry out the pur-
poses of this act"
BIockadinq Our Own Ports.
The application of this power to use
naval vessels in enforcing the act
would mean the virtual blockading Or
our own coasts by our own warships
co prevent the escape of allied ships
that had been refused clearance pa
pers.
The Thomas amendment is admit
tedly an emergency measure. Nobody
attempted to conceal the fact that it
was aimed at the acts Of the British
government The senate has been in
formed that every diplomatic effort
of this government to bring about re-
lief for American citizens subjected
to the blacklist proved futile. The ap-
prevail of The state department is &C
cepted as proof of a determination on
the part of the administration to be-
gin an aggressive policy to protect
the rights of American and other neu-
trail commerce.
The use of the navy might be re-
quired in the event any American
ships were seized in other ports by
the British government. The amend
ment is in line with that put into the
shipping bill but goes much further
and is far more efficacious as a rem
edy.
Deny Mails to Citizens.
Another amendment which it's op-
ponents characterized as revolution
airy, offered by Senator Phelan, would
prohibit the use of the mails, the
cable, wireless, express and other
means of communication Of citizens
of countries that do not accord full
and free facilities to American citi-
zens in commerce, including the I'M
hampered traffic in the mails"
The amendment intends that all
American citizens shall have the same
free use of these means of communi-
cation with any belligerent country
gerent countries in the United States.
The prohibition is to be enforced
when the President shall be satisfied
there is reasonable ground to believe
such discrimination exists and after
a proclamation has been issued. This
amendment also was adopted with
out protest.
Allied Embassies Stirred.
It is said that the. embassies of the
allied powers have been aroused by
the drastic legislation enacted and
have intimated informally to the state
department that they will protest
against the legislation which, they
contend, violates treaty obligations and
rights.
They believe the enactment of this
legislation is likely to lead to trade
war Of serious and far-reaching conse
oupncQS