Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-06-03

trary, their contention appears to be
that genuine correspondence is I'M
der conventional stipulation 'mviola-
BILE mail matter OF other classes is
While the government of the United
States agrees that genuine correspond
ence' mail matter is inviolable. it does
not admit that belligerents may search
other private sea borne mails for any
other purpose than to discover whether
they contain articles of enemy owner
ship carried on belligerent vessels or
articles OF contraband transmitted I'M
der sealed cover as letter mail, though
they may intercept at sea all mails
coming out and going into ports of the
enemy's coasts which are effectively
blockaded The governments of the
United States Great Britain and
France. however. appear TO be in sub.
stantiaI agreement as to principle The
method of applying the principle is the
chief cause of difference.
Though giving assurances that they
consider genuine correspondence to
be 'inviolable,' and that they will. true
to their engagements, refrain on the
high seas from Selling and cOnfscat.
ing such correspondence, the allied
governments proceed to deprive neu
trail governments of the benefits of
these assurances by Selling and con.
fiscating mail from vessels in port in
stead Of at sea They compel neutral
own ports or they induce shipping
lines, through some form of duress, to
send their mail ships via British ports.
or they detain all vessels merely call
ing at British ports acquiring by force
or unjustitiable means an Illegal juris-
diction. Acting upon this enforced 1ur.
isdiction. the authorities remove all
| mails, genuine correspondence as well
as post parcels. take them to London,
where every piece. even though of neu-
tral origin and destination. is opened
and critically examined to determine
the sincerity of their character in &C
! cordanCe with the Interpretation given
/ that underlined phrase by the British
( and French ceusors. Finally fhe ex-
/ purgated remainder is forwarded. fire.
/ Quently after irreparable delay. to its
/ destination Ships are detained en-
/ route 20 or from the United States or
/ TO or from other neutral countries and
/ mails are held and delayed for several
/ lays and. in some cases, for weeks
/ and even months. even though not
routed to ports OF north Europe via
British ports. This has been the pro
cedure which has been practiced since
/ the announcement of February Is,
| 1916 To some extent the same prac.
uce was followed before that date. call
ing forth the protest of this govern,
meut on January g. 1915. But to that
protest the memorandum under &C
Acknowledgement makes no reference and
is entirely unresponsiye. The govern
ment of the United States must again
insist with emphasis that the British
and French governments do not obtain
rghtfui jurisdiction of ships by forcing
or inducing them TO visit their ports
for the purpose of seixiug their mails
or thereby obtain greater belHgerent
rights AS 10 such ships than they could
/ exercise on the high seas. for there
is, in the opinion OF the government
OF the United States no legal distinc
tion between the seizure OF mails al
sea. which is announced as abandoned
and their seizure from vessels volun
arily or jnyoluntarily in port. The
British and French practice amounts
10 an unwarrauted limitation OF the
use by ueutrals OF the world highway
tor the transmission of correspond
ence The practice actually followed
by the allied powers must be said tc
Justify the conclusion therefore. that
the announcement OF February Is was
merely notice that one illegol practice
had been abandoned TO make place for
/ the Developments OF another more
onerous and veyatjous in character"
WellKnown Theatrical Man Dies