The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-20
BY BRITISH

CONTINUED From First Paxs.)
Publication Of tho list OF more than
eighty American individuals and firms
on tho British blacklist led to dis
closures today that gave tho state De-
partment complete details as to the
operation of the new British trade
weapon.
Comprehensive Prohibition.
When the trading with the enemy
act was promulgated last January 1t
was announced as a plan OF prevent
ting British subjects from trading with
individuals or firms Of enemy
status" for to trade with them was
equivalent to trading directly with the
enemy. The State Department then
protested, insisting on the right of
tpersons domiciled in the United States
Ito carry on trade with persons in bell
Iligerent countries.
Since that time the scope of the
boycott has been broadened to shut
out blacklisted firms. not only from
1.-THE British markets, but the markets
of the world. This has been tn rough
Great Britain's domination over
steamship lines and through the
threatening attitude adopted by that
government toward neutral shipping
The practical working of the black
list has been that a British vessel re-
fused to accept a cargo of a firm
under blacklist because forbidden to
do SO. Neutral vessels likewise re-
fused such shipments because they
were compelled to stop at British
ports to coal and provision and might
find themselves blacklisted II they
carried goods Of any party under the
ban.
So that instead of denying the
biacklisted exporters, importers and
forwarding agents merely the right
to trade with British subjects. the ef-
feet of the blacklist was to close the
doors to all markets to them.
It Is this phase of the question that
Is regarded as most seriously trans
crossing American rights and as most
dangerously threatening heavy loss to
Americas overseas trade.
No Legal Justification
The State Department holds there
is no legal justification for Great
Britain. through her control OF the
seas, to deny American merchants
the right to trade with neutral sub
tects In neutral countries. An avenue
is left open to the blacklisted Ameri-
can firms by shipping out goods IN
American bottoms but information
has reached the state Department
that even American ships have refused
to take goods of blacklisted shippers
! through fear Of meeting reprtsals
from Great Britain that would in eff
feet extend the blacklist to them.
It was autho ~ atively stated today
| that II the United States government
| obtained definite evidence of this
character against American ship lines
II would turn the information over
, to the department OF Justice for vigor-
GUS prosecution under the commerce
laws The fact that the British gov
eminent obtained information show
.ing enemy faint OF American Arm by
rifiing the mails on neutral vessels
| aggravates the situation. IT was said.
however, that England got most OF the
information by interceptng wireless
messages. -t.-
Great Britafn's Reason.
Great Britain's reason for black
listing seventy or eighty American
enemy act" was because she was hard
pressed under the law In attempting
to suffocate Germany and has under
taken to accomplish indirectly what
she could not DO directly. This state
ment was made today by an official OF
the State Department.
England has been trying various
devices and finally has discovered one
which meets her desire. and success
! fully evades the law in the opinion of
/ the official. He said: '-Great Britain
does not say to American firms which
! have been trading or have been
! thought to be trading with the enemy
that they shall not be permitted long
er to do so, but that English firms
/ situated within English Jurisdiction
and subject to English Jurisdiction
shall not trade with American Arms
which Great Britain believes to have
traded with the enemy.
This ID n restriction placed on tAs
freedom of trade OF English firms; but
| in its effect Il reaches. as 1t IS designed
| to reach, American hrma"
The significance OF thu new order, IL
was declared. Is greater than WAS at
first supposed II embraces steamship
| lines as well as commercial houses and
Great Britain having the carrying trade
OF the world, the order will operate
not only against American business
| firms but against the great steamship
lines OF Holland and Scandinavia a.
| well.
Officials declared tonight that the ap-
plication of the new rule forbiddins
| British subjects from trading with
| American firms OF supposed German
connections would materially reduce
| American commerce in the Orient.
| Especially will 1t Affect the trade OF
many American firms with numerous
ports in the Far East and such far
away markets as Australia and India
| It was pointed out that large num-