The state herald., 1916-06-02

ton Of ships ~ forcing or Inducing
them to visit their ports, for the pur-
pose of seising their malls, or thereby
sS sssn hss q. 70
ansnta the high seas for thsr. i,; In tSs tSs
United States, no legal distinction be-
which Is announced ~ abandoned, and
their .seisure from vessels voluntarily
or involuntarily in port
Of the use by neutrals of the worlds
highway for the transmission Of cor
respondence.. The practice actually fol
" ~ Justify ns esa he mais 3:
fore. that the announcement Of Feb
ruary 15 was merely notice that one
Illegal practice had been abandoned &c
make place for the development Of an
character.
Hague Rule violated.
"The present practice is n violation
ment of February i5. but of the rule
of The Hague Convention, upon which
II IL concededly based. Aside from this.
OF nations which Great Britain and her
allies have In the past assisted to es-
tablish and maintain.
The arbitrary methods employed bv
the British and French governments
have resulted most disnstrously to citi-
zens of the United States. Important
papers which can never be duplicated.
or can be duplicated only with great
difficulty, such as United States pat
ents for Inventions. rare documents.
legal papers relating to the settlement
OF estates. powers of attorney. fire In
surancc claims. income tax returns ana
similar matters. have been lost.
Delays In receiving shipping docu-
ments have caused great loss and In
convenience by preventing prompt de-
livery of goods.
Business opportunities are lost by
failure to transmit properly bids. speci-
ficntions and contracts.
Money Order Lists MissinE.
| Business correspondence. relating
to legitimate and bona flde trade be-
tween neutral countries, correspond
ence of personal nature. and also
certain official correspondence such as
money order lists and other matter
| forwarded by government departments.
are detained. lost or possibly de-
stroyed.
mot only are American commercial
interests injured. but rights of prop
erty are violated, and the rules OF In
te.nat .onal law and custom are palp-
ably disregarded.
II can only add that this continuing
offcnse has led to such losses TO
| American citizens and to possible
responsibility of the United States Z,
repair them. that this government will
be compelled In the near future to
press claims for full reclamation upon
the attention of His Majestys gov
eminent and that OF the French Re-
uLlic.
Details Of United states stand.
''The government of the United
States is inclined to the opinion that
the class of mail matter which In
ciudes stocks. bonds, coupons and sim.
ilar securities liz to be regarded rs OF
the same nature as merchandise or
other articles of property and subject
to the same exercise OF belligerent
rights. Money orders. checks. drafts,
notes and other negotiable instru-
mcnts which may pass as tho eQuiva-
lent OF money are. IL Is considered. also
to be classed as merchandise.
Correspondence. including shipping
documents. money order lists and pa
pers of that character. even though re.
lating to enemy supplies or exports.
unless carried ON the same ship as the
property referred to. are. In the opin
ion OF this government, TO be regard
ed ms genuine correspondence" and en-
titled to unmolested passage
''The government of the United
DDS employed by the British and
French authorities In interruptlnp
mails passing between the United
States and other neutral countries ant
between the Quilted states and the en-
emics OF Great Britain. can no lonKe'
tolerate the wrongs which citizens o.
the United States suffer and continue
to suffer through these methods.
Rishs. Msst ne Observed.
ITO submit to IA iawlcss practice ol
this character would open the door e
repeated violations Of intcrnationn
law by the beiligerent powers on tn,
ground of military necessity. OF whicf
the violator would be the sole Judge
permit its rights on the high seas tt
be determined by beiligerents or th'
exercise OF these rights to be permit
ted or denied arbitrarily by the gov
.rnment of warning nation.
"Thc rights of neutralr are as sn,
crea ms the rights of beiligercnts ant
must be AS strictly observed.
The government OF IN. United
States. confident In the regard for In
ternational law and the rights OF ncu'
trails. which the British and Frenei
!. governments have No often proclalfno.
and the disregard OF which they have
urged as vigorously against their en-
emies In the present war, expects th'
present practice OF the British ant
French authorities In the treatment o.
mails from or to the United states e
cease. and belllgerent rights, as ex
crciscd. to conform TO the principle
governing the passage OF mail matter
and To the recognized practice OF ma
tions.
only n radical change In tho pres
ent British and French policy. rcrtor'
ing to III. United States Its full righti
as n neutral power. VIII satisfy TIM
government