The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-06-09
GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE
MUST STOP SEIZURE OF MAILS |
In Note to Allies Secretary Lansing
characterized Practice as I'm
precedented and Vexstious.


the wrongs which American citizens
have suffered and continue to suffer
through the "lawless practice" those
governments have INDUCED in and that
only radical change in policy restor-
ing the United States to its full rights
as a neutral power will be satisfactory.
This notification is given in the lat
est American communication to the
two governments, the text of which
was made public by the state depart
ment Friday. The time in which the
change must be effected is not speci-
fled, but the United States expects
prompt action.
Notice is served that the United
States soon will press claims against
the British and French governments
for the losses which already have been
sustained,
The text of the communication, ad-
dressed to the British and French gov
ernments, follows:
81 have the honor to acknowledge
receipt of your excellenCy's note OF
April last in which are stated the
contentious of the British and French
governments in regard to the right to
detain and examine parcel and letter
mails en- route by sea between the
United States and Europe.
After a discussion of the use Of the
mails for tue transmission of parcels
and of the limitations to be placed on
inviolable mail, the joint memoran.
dunn of the allies of February Is closes
with the following assertions:
al. That from the standpoint of
the right of visitation and eventual
arrest and seizure, merchandise ship
ment in post parcels need not and
shall not be treated otherwise than
merchandise shipped in any other
manner.
"'2. That the inviolability of postal
correspondence stipulated by the
eleventh convention of The Hague of
1907 does not in any way affect the
right of the allied governments to visit
and, if occasion arise, arrest and seize
merchandise hidden In the wrappers,
envelopes or letters contained in the
mail bags.
"'S. That through their engage
ments and respect for genuine GORE
spondence" the allied governments
will continue fer the present to refrain
on the high seas from seizing and con-
fiscating such correspondence, letters
or dispatches and will insure their
speediest possible transmission as
soon as the sincerity of'their charac-
ter shall have been ascertained'
"In reply the government of the
United States desires to state that it
does not consider that the postal union
convention of 1906 necessarily applies
to the interferences by the British and
French governments with the oversee
transportation of mails of which the
government of the United States COM
plains. Furthermore, the allied pow
ers appear to have overlooked the ad-
mission OF the government of the Unit.
ed States that post parcels may be
treated as merchandise subject to the
exercise Of belligerent rights as recog-
nized by international law. But the
government of the United States does
not admit that such parcels are sub
ject to the exercise Of the rights of
police supervision, visitation and
eventual seizure which belongs to bel
ligerents as to all cargoes on the high
seas as asserted in the Joint note In
acknowledgment
at Is noted with satisfaction that
the British and French governments
do not claim and, in the opinion of this
government, properly do not claim
that their. so-called blockade measures
are sufficient grounds upon which to
base right to interfere with all classes
Of mail in transit to or from the CEN
trail powers"