The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-20
FIND SERIOUS DEFECTS
IN RETAl|AT0RY LAW
Act Authorizing Government to Deny
Clearance Papers In Certain Cases
Found Too Broad.

Found Too Broad
Washington. Sept 1s.-The govern
nrent departments and President VIII
son are making q careful study Of
the retahatory cot passed by the
Congress with "A view to putting It
in effect The views OF the Depart
msnts viii be communicated to tho
President by whose direction the
Treasury Department will apply ac-
ton. Tho Department of Justice viii
enforce tho acts and the State De-
partment will conduct the negotia-
tons ariMng In It's enforcement with
foreign nations
It was stated author4tAttveiy today
that some defects already have been
discovered In the legislation. The act
authorizing the government to deny
clearance to any ana all vessels which
refuse to accept American goods for
shipments for any reason other than
lack OK cargo space has been found
10 be too broad.
This measure, II was declared, fails
to take into consideration either the
rights Of bsliigerents or the duties of
neutrals. It authorizes q refusal OF
clearance to q vessel declining to ac-
cept contraband OF war, although the
ship taking aboard such q cargo would
be liable to capture BY a beliigerent
Neutral lanes Would Refuse.
The government has also to oon-
ndef. It was said, the certain refusal
Of neutral European shipping tines
TO ACCEPT goods banned by Great
Britain. - we'll AZ wholly Innocent
goods destined for consignees black
listed or otherwise prescribed by Eng
land. The position Of such lines,
It was aid. 10 that the United States
has tho right 70 ship and these lines
the right to accept such goods, but
that British patrols ON the high seas
would intercept them and divert them
to British ports, there remove their
cargoos and dstain their shipA
They would accept such cArsoes,
they might sAy. Il the United States
guaranteed them against loss or If
American convoys were furnished
them % that they would not b mo-
Tested in the performance Of their
contract and were guaranteed COM
mercdal procession. The incomplete
meas Of the retaiiatory law y now
recognised. and tho nsxt session Of
Congress 10 expected to perfect By
amendment and by adopting entirely
new measureA Among these new
measures there u Mrely to Be- one
similar to the Phslan amendment,
which was abandoned IN the last
hours Of tho recent. segs4on under the
Instructions from the State Depast-
ment.
II was declared thsre can b no
except With correspondence
and that interference with United
States mails - interference with
American commerce. England having
confessed through her minister her
for every purpose Of infor-
nation derived from her Censorship Of
American mails 1t was declared this
country cannot be assured OF combat
warfare against the United States un-
less such Interference IL prevented.
The British reply to the American
protest against mails interference IL
ION IT. way from London" but
whether by cable or by mail neither
the state Department nor the British
processes to know.
There 10 some ground. however for
the belief that the British embassy
al had this communication for sev.
eral days, and IN waiting to make
some changes.
Morris p, Fletcher. formerly adj
wiser OF the State Department, called
At the State Department and discuss
Cd some OF the hardships forced upon
the United StateaI Some complaints
have been sent to tho Department OF
Commerce from those injured by tho
black list.
Exports to Holland fell of $40,-
096,785; to Sweden. $34,397.276. and
to Denmark $18.75S.37S. Norway's
exports showed = gain OF about ST.
100000.