The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-27
PROTEST. FIRST
 MOVE TO STOP
 TRADE BOYCOT
Principle Involved All Wrong, V U. s. Note to England Will Contend.

Washington, July 2T-Following @ with President Wilson yesterday, Acting Secretary of State Polk announced that note will be despAtchad to the British government "vasy soon" discussing the principles invC3ved in the blacklisting of Ameri- can citisens by Great Britain.
 Couched in Vigorous Terms. While MT. Polk did not make use of the word protest" the under standing Is that this communication will be couched in vigorous language and will. contend that the principle invplyed in the blacklisting of Ameri- can fkitizens Is fundamentally wrong.
 F3Sm the outset MT. Polk has con tended that British officials them selves do not realize the extent to which their boycotting measure would go if carried to its logical conclu- sion. -
 The formal protest will deal with general principles only- While of- 7 ficiAI information from the British govt$pment on several features of the blaSklist is lacking, an abundance of information is in the possession -of MT. Polk from firms on the blacklist and from other sources
 In peril of fact, American d1plo- Ynatic and consular officers have been gathering information in neutral European countries and elsewhere shoyving how the British blacklist is 4pped- A m mass sss of atass such aenapt lnaot mst{ msi no" 's ID 'nS ''' ,1n ot a partnhent yesterday that the state- Jhent of Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, the British ambassador, Tuesday, while reasauring as to some point, was in the nature of an explanation rather fthan conclusive information Numer- ! ous essential points yet remain to be { explained. The most important of these is the facility with which Brit i ish shipowners and bankers may put {; American citizens out of business by refusing to carry merchandise or to textend customary credits
 1"Not Directed Against Neutral" < The British ambassador yesterday advised MT. Polk that the blacklist J was not directed against neutrals and l.fhat neutrals need have no fear about sdeaIink with the blacklisted firms s This assurance was rudely upset by 1 the publication today of a statemen f issued to the press of Valparaiso, Chil ; by the British Consul General at tha ', place, in which he formally warned ! s.neutrals or allies against doing busi i nes with blacklisted firms in Chili This same statement invited neutral 40 assist the British, government Il fscarrying out it's blacklist policy ant
 thus share in the orders that formerl, I went to Germ4nN and> Austrian !; houses.
 The action of the British Consu | General at Valparaiso is construed t ! mean that the many black1ists whicl i have been promulgated by. Great Brit 4 ain are not primarily designed to pre- | vent supplies reaching the enemy, bu ] to gobble up German trade, with
 threat to extend the list to neutral ,s and even allies who attempt, in an
 way, to assist the firms black1isted.
 While the United States is in posi- < ton to take many drastic measure in self-defense which cannot be takel
 by the weaker neutral countries, off
 cfa1s have no reason for believing tha Great Britain intends to deal nor
 consiherately with Americans thai
 with, other neutrals in enforcing thi
 new measure
 Not Regarded as Friendly Act.
 Therefore Great Britain will be in
 formed that the United States find f1t difficult to regard as H friendl measure the blacklisting of it's citi
 Eens, who, under the laws of the coun i$ry, have a right to deal with all othe
 neutrals, and to carry on legitimat
 Business transactions with the presen l'enemies of Great Britain.