The Elbert County tribune., 1916-06-02
STOP SEEING MAIL
U. g. NOTIFIES BRITAIN AND
FRANCE IN VIGOROUS NOTE.
"lswiess Practice" on Seas "ko
Longer Can Be Tolerated." and
Allies Are Warned to Change
Policy.
western Newspaper Union New. Service.

Washington. May 29.-The text of
tho communication addressed to the
British and French ambassadors. TO
whom 1t was delivered Wednesday. in
part follows.
May "a. 1916.--Excellency: / have the
honor to acknowledge receipt of your
eIcellencys note OF April last. trans
mitting a memorandum dated February
10. 1916. and communicated In sub
stance to the American ambassador in
London on February 2Sth, in which are
and French governments in regard TO
the right to detain and examine par
eel and letter mails en- route by sea
between the United States and Eu-
rope.
After a discussion of the use of the
mails for the transmission of parcels
and of the limitations to be placed on
1nviolable.' the joint memorandum of
February ID closes with the following
assertions:
u. That from the standpoint of the
right of visitation and eventual arrest
and seizure. merchandise shipped in
post parcels needs not and shall not be
treated otherwise than merchandise
shipped in any other manner
20. That the inviolability of postal
correspondence stipulated by the elev-
enth convention of The Hague of 1907
does not in any way affect the right OF
the allied governments to visit and, II
occasion arise. arrest and seize mer
chandise hidden in the wrappers, On
veiopes or letters contained in the mail
bags.
90 That true to their engagements
and respectful of genuine correspond
ence' the allied governments will re-
frain for the present. on the high seas,
from SELLING and confiscating such cor
respondence, letters or dispatches and
will insure their speediest possible
transmission, soon as the sincerity
of their character shall have been as
eertained."
Allies Contention Rejected.
"In reply the government of the
United States desires to ssate that II
does not consider that the postal union
convention of 1906 necessarily applies
to the Interference by the British and
French governments with the oversee
transportation of malls of which the
government of the United States COM
plains.
Furthermore. the allied powers ap-
pear to have overlooked the admission
of the government of the United States
that post parcels may be treated as
merchandise subject to the exercise of
belligerent rights as recognized by In
ternational law. But the government
OF the United States does not admit
that such parcels are subject to the
exercise of the rights of police super
vision, visitation and eventual seizure
which belongs to belligerents with ref
erence to all cargoes on the high seas,
as asserted in the joint note under ac
Acknowledgement
Right of Search Limited.
"It is noted with satisfaction that the
claim. and. in the opinion of this gov
ernment properly dc not claim. that
their so-called blockade measures are
sufficient grounds upon when to base
mall matter In transit to or from the
central powers.
''On the contrary. their contention
appears to be that as genuine cores
spondence' is under con -entional stipu-
lation .inviolablc.' mail matter of other
classes is subject to detention and ex-
animation. While the government of
the United States agrees that genuine
correspondence' mail is inviolable. II
does not admit that belligerents may
search other private sea-borne mails
for any other purpose than to discover
whether they contain articles of enemy
ownership carried on belligerent ves-
sells or articles of contra band trans
mitted under sealed cover as letter
mail. though they may intercept at sen
all mails coming out of or going into
ports of the enemys coasts which are
effectively biockaded.
Mails seized In Port.
"The governments of the United
States. Great Britain and France. how
ever, appear to be in substantial agree
ment as to principle. The method Of
cause OF difference.
Though giving assurances that they
consider genuine correspondence to be
their engagements refrain on the
high seas from seizing and confiscat-
ing such correspondence the allied
governments proceed to deprive neu.
these assurances by seizing and con-
fiscating mail from vessels in port in
stead of ut sen.
.They compel neutral ships without
lust cause. to enter their own ports or
they induce shipping lines. through
some form of duress to send their mail
~l.tx ut Iyrtt oh nF
all vessels merely calling at British
ports-thus acquiring by force or un-
justifiable means an illegal 1urisdic-
ton.
Censorship AssniIed.
Acting upon this enforced jurisdic
tion, the authorities remove all mail.
genuine correspondence as well as
post PARCELS; take them to London.
where every piece, even though OF neu-
tral origin and destination. is opened
and critically examined. to determine e
the sincerity of their character. in
accordance with the Interpretation Civ
en- that underlined phrase by the Brit
Ish and French censors. Finally. the
expurgated remains is forwarded, IRE
quently after irreparable delay. to its
ships are detained en- route to or
from the United States or TO or from
other neutral countries. and mails are
held and delayed for several DAYS. and.
in some cases, for weeks, and even
months, even though not routed TO
ports of North Europe. Via British
ports.
.This has been the procedure which
has been practiced since the an
nouncement of February Is. 1916. To
some extent the same practice was fol-
lowed before that date. calling for the
nrotest of this government of January
1eI6 But to that protest the mem
orandum under acknowled cement
makes no reference and Is entirely
unresponsive.
.sThe government of the United
states must again insist with emphasis
that tho British and French govern
Church Doubles Pension Fund.
Saratoga Springs, N. Y.-Authoriza-
ton of a campaign to raise sl0,Ooo,-