Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-18
SWEDEN ASKS AID
OF WASHINGTON IN
NEUTRALS' FIGHT
Stockholm Sends Another Note Seek.
ing Cooperation of U. s. with
NOncombatsnts Against
British Aggression.
LANSING WILL NOT ACT YET
Says He Won't Answer Communica-
tion Till Lusitania Case is
Settled.
COMPLAINT OF MAIL HELD UP


other note from Sweden has been ad-
dressed to the State department,
through Minister Ekengrin, appeal
ing to the United States for coop
Grafton with the Swedish govern
ment and other neutral nations to
maintain the preservation of rules of
international law concerning the
protection of neutral commerce and
navigation. Action is proposed par
ticularly against Great Britain be-
cause of the detention of mail by
that country and other aggressions
against trade regarded by Sweden as
unwarranted.
Secretary Lansing informed the
minister, II was learned today, that
he could not answer the note until
the controversy with Germany over
the Lusitania case was settled
This latest commune alton. addressed to
Secretary Lansing and signed by Mr..
Ekengren, was presented recently after
such a proposal had ben advanced and
discussed from time to time. but until
today the fact did not become known.
Text of Note.
Following is the text of the note:
l have been instructed by his excellency.
the minister for foreign affairs at Stock
holm to address the following to your
excellency:
THE royal government has, during the
present war. from time to maintain and
preserve certain important rules OF inter
national war which concern protection
OF neutral commerce and navigation. and
which are being violated by Great Bri-
tain.
"The violation of existing rules of
international law has, regardless of pro-
tests. increased until at present only
few rules, serving as protection to neu-
tral commercial intercourse. are observed
BY Great Britain and it is feared that
also these remaining few will be violated.
His majesty's government which is
deeply conscious OF its responsibility TO
not omit any measure tending TO prevent
such an evesituallty and well aware of
the danger for the future if these rules.
which are Of infinite worth to civilization
"a a whole. are not preserved desires to
herewith make "A renewed presentation
10 your exceIlency in this respect.
Have violated Mail Traffic.
''of late the British authorities have
violated the mail traffic. Parcel post
from one neutral country to another is
being rnloaded In British ports and the
contents are being seized. While parcel
is not protected through The Hague
postal convention, II, nevertheless. seems
to his majesty's government that the
British procedure. in the form and ex-
tensiveness practiced. would be invalid
even with regard TO ordinary express
goods and that this seems particularly
| evident when the seizure of parcel post
Is directed against a means OF convey
ance under guarantee of sovereign
powers. Besides. great personal incon-
venience is connected with seizure OF this
kind.
However. England's present practice
of censoring also fiIst-class mail, sent
by neutral vessels from one neutral coun-
try to another is an even greater viola
tion OF the rights accorded neutral powers
by the rules of international law. IL is
necessary to particularly point out how
contrary this practice. is to the stipula-
tions in the above mentioned Hague con-
vention, which stipuations or rules must
be considered to have been in existence
even before the PRONUNCIATION OF this con-
| vention.
Appeal for Cooperation.
"The royal government, therefore, ap-
| peals to the government OF the United
States for cooperation for the purpose
OF seeking TO bring about a discontinue
tion OF the violations OF international law,
at least so far as the same concerns first
class mail. and IL solicits as early an
answer as possible whether your excel
lency is willing TO take appropriate action
in cooperation with the royal govern
ment and eventually the governments of
other neutral countries for the purpose
of causing that the RUE which the ques-
tion involves-and which is one of the
fundamental stipulations of international
law-be observed"