The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-08-01
STRONG PROTEST
Goes TO LONDON
Wilson Warns Great Britain Of
Dangers Of Blacklist.
NEUTRAL RELATIONS IN PERIL

N''NSHo VI tNe OHItcu OtdbSSi Gays
the President, Entirely Within
Their Rights In Attempting to
Trade With people Of the Nations
Now at War-Note More Vigorous
Than Had Been Anticipated.
Washington, July S1.-The state de-
partment made public its note of pro-
test against the British blacklist, in
which Great Britain is warned of the
many serious consequences to neu-
trail rights and neutral relations which
such an act must necessarily involve
The note, which is already in the
hands Of the British foreign Office, de-
clares "in the gravest terms that it
is "manifestly out of the question that
the government Of the United States
should acquiesce in such methods"
and that the United States regards
the blacklist as Inevitably and essen
TALLY inconsistent with the rights of
all the citizens Of all the nations not
involved in the war" 1t reminds the
British government that "citizens of
the United States are entirely within
their rights in attempting to trade
with the people of the nations now at
war, subject only to well defined in
ternational practices and understand
ings which the government Of the
United States deems the government
OF Great Britain to have too lightly
and frequently disregarded."
The American note Is even more
positive in ITS terms than officials
have intimated. Ambassador Page
was instructed by Acting Secretary
Polk to deliver 1t formally and textu.
ally. 1t follows:
"The announcement that his Britain
mic majesty's government has placed
the names of certain persons, firms
and corporations in the United States
upon proscriptive blacklist and has
forbidden all financial or commercial
dealings between them and citizens
OF Great Britain has been received
with the most painful surprise by the
people and government Of the United
States, and seems to the government
of the United States to embody pol
icy OF arbitrary interference with neu-
trail trade against which It Is its duty
to protest in the most decided terms.
Effect OF the Blacklist.
"The scope and effect of the policy
are extraordinary. British steamship
companies will not accept cargoes
from the prescribed firms or persons
or transport their goods to any port,
and steamship lines under neutral
ownership understand that If they ac-
cept freight from them they are likely
to be denied coal at British ports and
excluded from other privileges which
they have usually enjoyed, and may
themselves be put upon the blacklist
Neutral bankers refuse loans to those
/ on the list, and neutral merchants de-
! cline to contract for their goods, fear
ing a like prescription. II appears that
British officials regard the prohibit
tions OF the blacklist as applicable to
domestic commercial transactions in
foreign countries as we'll as in Great
Britain and her dependencies. for
Americans doing business in foreign
! countries have been put on notice that
. their dealings with blacklisted firms
are to be regarded as subject to veto
by the British government. BY the
q same principle, Americans in the
United States might be made subject
to similar punitive action " they we're
found dealing with any Of their own
countrymen whose names had thus
been listed.
"The harsh and even disastrous ef-
fects of this policy upon the trade o.
the United States and upon the neu.
trnl rights upon which II will not fail
= TO insist are obvious. Upon the list
a of those prescribed and, In effect, shut
l. out from the general commerce OF the
h world may he found American con,
: Germs which are engaged in large com
L mercial operations as importers OF for
u eign products and materials and as
u distributors OF American products and
i manufacturers to foreign countries
{ and which constitute important chan
nels through which American trade
y reaches the outside world. Their for
u eign affiliations may have been fos-
Il tered for many years, and when once
: broken can not easily or promptly be
= reestablished. other concerns may be
j. put upon the list at any time and
!" without notice II is understood that
- additions to the prescription may be
made whenever, on account OF enemy
nationality or enemy association OF
- such persons or bodies, 1t appears to
:. his majesty eXpedient to do so,' The
q possibilities Of undeserved injury to
~ American citizens from such meas
" ures' arbitrarily taken, and of serious
~ and incalculable Interruptions oi
,r American trade, are without limit"
N Whatever may be said with regard
to the legality, in the view of interna
ii tiona obligation. OF the act of parlia
N ment upon which the practice of the
IA blacklist MS now employed by nil
% maiesty's government is understoot
In TO be based the government OF th'