Bisbee daily review., 1916-05-27
AMERICAN NOTE MAKES
 DEMANDS OR ALLIES
(Continued from page lJ Assurance Violated.

HSSbi dhSS~ NtotdlSos | Though giving assurances that they consider genuine correspondence to ,e inviolable." and that they will, true to their engagements" refrain In the high seas from seizing and onfiscating such correspondence, the ,llied governments proceed to de ,rive neutral governments of the ben fits of their assurances by seizilg md confiscating mail from vessels in port instead of at sea. = :
 Delayed for Months.
 : Ships are detained en- 'oute to or from the United States or and from other nations and are leld and delayed for several days, and some cases, for. weeks and even months, even though not routed to ports of north Europe, via British ports. This has been the procedure which has been practiced since the announcement of February 15, 1916. To some extent the same procedure was followed before that date, calling for the protest of this government of January 4, 1916.
 Ignored U. s. Protest.
 But to that protest the memoran- ium under examination made no re- ference and is entirely unresponsive.
 U. S. Demands.
 The government of the United States must again insist with em- phasis that the British and French governments do not obtain rightful jurisdiction of ships by forcing or in- ducing them to visit their ports for the purpose of seizing their mails, or thereby obtain greater belligerent rights as to such ships than Chey could exercise on the high seas, for there is, in the opinion of the govern ment of the United States, n5 legal distinction between the seizure of mails at sea which is announced as abandoned and their seizure from yes sells voluntarily or involuntarily in port.
 Gross Violation.
 * The present practice is a violation not only of the spirit of law but of the ruling of the Hague convention upon which conceedly based.
 Here the note cites several cases in support of the contention of the violation of previous international practice.
 Continuing the note says:
 Rops Allies. "The arbitrary methods employed by the British and French govern ments have resulted most disasterSus- ly to citizens of the United States, important papers which never can be duplicated only with great difficulty, such as U. s. patents for inventions, rare documents. legal papers relating to the settlements of estates, p9wers of attorney, fire insurance claims, in come tax returns and similar matters, have been lost. Delays in receiving shipping documents have caused great loss and inconvenience by pre- senting prompt delivery of goods. s.****
 The note here cites many cases in point and outlines specific instances of losses resulting from loss or delay of mails. And continues:
 U. S. Presses Claims. This government will be compelled m the near future to press claims for full reclamation upon the atten- ton of his Majesty's government and that D, the French republic. So submit to a lawless practice of this character would open the door to repeated violations of international law by the belligerent powers on the ground of military necessity of which the violator would be the sole judge.
 "A neutral nation cannot permit its rights on the high seas to be de .ermined Dy belligerents of the ex- ercise of their rights to be permitted or denied arbitrarily by the govern nent of a warning nation. The rights of neutrals are as sacred as the rights of belligerents and much be as strict ly ovseryed. :
 "Only a radical change in 'he pres- ent British and French policy, re- storing to the United States its full rights as neutral power, will satisfy this government.
 "l have. etc.
 ROBERT LANSING"