The sun., 1916-08-28

high handed q violation of the privacy
OF the United States mail service by
the British authorities as was ever re-
ported. In the name Of the censor ar
ordinary business letter addressed to
him at his Office in New York was
opened and read. The containing en-
velope bears upon its face the proofs OF
a wanton disregard OF the notice pre-
viously served by the United States Gov
eminent that the American mails must
not be tempered with by belliserents.
That the offence In this case was pecu-
LARRY fragrant I will demonstrate An
examination OF the envelope will dis
close these facts:
That. as shown by the stamps and post
markings. 1t was mailed In one American
post office and consigned to another Ameri-
can post ONCE; that T.. from the American
postal agency at Shanghai to the ad-
dressee In New York.
Tha, at Shanghai the letter was put
into a United States mail bag. which was
sealed. undoubtedly. by the seal OF the
United States Government post ONCE.
That the mall bag was then consigned.
In accordance with the International pos
tai regulations. to a mall steamer, to bc
transmitted to the post office at New
York city.
That. at some point en- route. while TEN
porarlly in the possession Of foreign au-
thorities. the letter was opened Ny .
censor" and its contents examined.
All these things appear upon the CIR
velope by ocular presentation and by
irrefutable deduction. But these matters
dc not tell the whole story. I think II
is of more than ordinary significance.
BY tracing the course Of this piece OF
mail matter. IL seems to have been trans
mitted from Shanghai to New York Oh
one Of the Empress steamships. a British
line operating between Vancouver and
Hongkong and touching Mt Shanghai
and Japan ports. The circumstances at
tending this transmission Indicate that
1t was a British censor who broke tho
seals Of the mail bag and opened the
letter. either while on shipboard or at
some point in Canada.
The chain of circumstances which
rhus subjects mail between two American
post offices to a foreign censorship is
interesting. Such ships as by reason OF
Slttu "ih IVcuiaiiNs VI sNh'huit "'i'
suitable to conslgn mail to formerly
piled between American ports and th'
Far East under the American iiag. bu'
they were withdrawn soon after the wal
started, because Of SOM provisions OF
the so-called seamen's act which placed
them at AN economic disadvantage IL
comparison with competing foreign lines
Thereafter American mails from the IN
East. including the Philippines. hav,
with slight exceptions been carried hS
Ships OF foreien registry. Soon after
the war began the Empress line. IN,
only regular British mail line on that
route. was depleted of all its best ship.
for naval purposes.
And thus for "A period of more than
year. and until within the last two
months. when the Empress ships wer'
released from naval duty. there re
manned no regular mail communicated
between America ami those regions eN
ccpt by japanese ships.
Some time ago, | am not sure eX
actly when. hut for at least eight
months. the Japanese Government. tax
I'M: example from Great Britain. ant
no doubt deserving how our Govcrnmen
tolerated British Interference will
American mails. began to ccn.or or opei
and read mails passing between Fal
Eastern points and the United states
which. perforce, We're consigned in trinsi
tc Japanese ships. ] have reason to be
lieye that the japanese censors hay,
done more than open and read slcl
mail. Within my W experience Their
l.
to indicate that mail packages and let
tiers have been stopped altogether an,
never delivered.
Thus at n time when certain condi
lions nav offered exceptional oppor
tunity TO advance American trade wit
China and other Eastern countries. an