The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-09-09
WILL NOT SURRENDER
BLACKLIST POLICY
Lord Robert Cecil, Minister OF War Trade,
So Declared in Discussing American
Retaliatory Legislation.

London, Sept. 0.-"It is not likely
Great Britain win change her blacklist
policy at the request of the United
States" said Lord Robert Cecil, minister
OF war trade, in discussing yesterday the
possible effect of recent American retail
iatory legislation. To the Associated
Press, Lord Robert stated that a reply to
the blacklist protest made by the United
States may be expected soon. Lord
Robert. however. declined to enter into
the details of the contents OF the reply
beyond the statement that the principal
embodied in British legislation forbidding
trading with an enemy country is un-
likely to be surrendered in any meas.
ure.
The minister Of war trade professed
himself to be puzzled by the provisions
in the revenue bill passed by Congress
at Washington dealing with the prohibi-
tion of imports, as such orders, he said,
were adopted strictly in an effort to
conserve tonnage and were applied ac-
cordingly.
In general defense of British com
mercial acts to the Associated Press,
Lord Robert said:
"The ideas expressed by some of your
newspapers that Great Britain is adopt
ing deliberate policy with which to
injure American trade is the purest
moonshine, since outside of our own do
minions, our trade with the United
States is the most important. OF course,
natural trade rivalry exists, but no re
sponsible statesman in this country
would dream of proposing an insane
measure designed to injure American
commerce.
ANY impression that the blacklist is
merely an entering wedge for a trade
warfare after the war may be dismissed |
1T once. | assure you the blacklist is
purely a war measure and | cannot in |
'ist too strongly that the government is |
.aking every precaution to guarantee its |
so as to cause as little hard |
ship as possible to innocent traders.
"We believe our trade measures are
proving eflicacious although it is difficult
o give any figures indicating the extent
If the harm done TO our enemies but
night point out that the mark is still
leclining in value"
1t was then pointed out to Lord Robert
hat the belief prevailed that consign
nents of firms trading with blacklisted
irms might be refused shipment from
americans to other neutral ports through
he fear of not getting coal. Lord Robert
epled::
"This fear is ungrounded, as we have
o desire to interfere nor does the law
any interference with legit
mate trade. We are taking precautions
o prevent an unjustifed extension of
he blacklist" I
Questioned in regard to the fate of
hip accepting consignment from a {
lacklisted firm to any South American I
ort, the minister of war trade said: 8
II fear we have to insist that our ma y
onals refuse to supply coal for such }
urpose and | am afraid that a refusal {
the United States to permit the clear '
nee of a vessel refusing such a con
gnment would cause friction between I
le two countries" l
Lord Robert expressed the opinion that a
OF only was the purpose OF the blacklist i
ut also the real design of the Paris t
,onomic conference was misunderstood $
the United States, saying in this con- '
sction. \
"The real purpose of the Paris confer
ice was to arrive at some plan by
hich to prevent any resumption or
tension OF the politico commercial I
stem prevailing before the war in
e first place, and in the second, to
wise means for accomplishing both
r ourselves and our allies the enormous k
SIX of reconstruction. We fully realize ST
at such plan must involve read ST
stments of existing treaties, which, la
tn their favored nations clauses, now
and in the way. However, 1t must be v
membered that with the exception OF bt
is country, which has no tariff wall, la
countries have constantly evaded and to
plated the favored nations clause"
In conclusion Lord Robert declared ed
at the adoption of the plan outlined &c
the Paris conference might result in
scientific tariff. r,
st