The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-21
EngIand's Blacklist of c. s.
Firms Breach of Faith.
Also 1t Is an Imposition on
American Rights.
NO MORE FREEDOM OF SEAS
u. s. Citizens Have Less Trade
Privileges Than Canadians.
Great Britain Treats This COun.
try as Favored Satrapy2

Washington, July 21.-The action
of Great Britain in declaring war on
American trade is believed here to be
in direct violation of the Bryan peace
treaty between Great Britain and The
United States.
Bryan's treaty with England stipu
lates that 'all disputes arising. -. of
any nature whatsoever. shall,
when diplomatic methods of adjust
ment have failed, be referred for in
vestigation and reported to a perma
nent international commission.
and they agree not to declare war or
begin hostilities during such investi-
CATION and before the report is sub
mitted.''
Even with this provision, however,
the treaty is held to have been set
aside and practically nullified. Eng
land vitiated the treaty by declarirg
a large number of American firms
and individuals to be enemies, under
the trading with the enemy act, it
was said.
This belief offsets The impression
that President Wilson would. if called
upon, construe the Bryan treaty fav-
orably to England, as he construed
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty concerning
the Panama canal. 1t was said to-
day that President Wilson views this
treaty as he did the other, concerning
the free tolls question was a treaty OBJ
legation and question of honor which
gentlemen do not argue
Recourse in Courts
In this case a foreign government,
it was said. cannot declare citizens of
the United States, domiciled in the
United States and subject to American
jurisdiction, to be enemy nationals
without at the same time implying
that the United States itself is an
enemy These citizens have been ac-
cused of no unneutral conduct; if they
had been guilty of such practices, it
was declared, the United States courts
are open to all the evidence the Brit
ism government can submit and would
welcome evidence of violations of this
country's neutrality laws.
In Waging war on American citizens
it was said, Great Britain has defied
the United States itself treating con-
temptuously the constitution which
commands the federal government to
protect the rights of American citi-
diction but upon the high seas and in
foreign lands as well.
By no possible construction, it was
said, could The British government say
that the Bryan treaty. -estopped the
United States from adopting reprisals
This country, it was said has the un-
questioned right to put into effect any
retaliatory measures for both protec-
ton and punishment, as a reply to
the British attempt to establish her
sovereignty within American jurisdic-
ten, for in no other way, declared
these authorities, could the high acts
of the British government in inter-
fering with American trade within the
American territory be defined.
Congress Should Act.
The proper reply to the new Brit
ish invasion of American territory and
adjustment of American rights, in
Guiding a declaration of war against
American citizens, in the opinion of
Washington observers, of increasing
British oppression, lies in the power of
congress Diplomacy, it was said, has
failed in every instance to exact any
satisfaction from the London foreign
office; Great Britain continues to
treat the United States a more or
less favored satrapy, and does not take
seriously the long notes from Presi-
dent Wilson and Secretary of State
| Lansing.
1t was asserted that American citi-
zens have less freedom of trade than
do British subjects in Canada, Aus
tralia or other British dominions, and
that unless action of decisive nature
| is taken by congress, without further
| diplomatic waste of time, the damage
| to American commerce will be irrep-
arabic and that this country will be
not only without ships and interna-
tional banking facilities, whose crea-
ton congress has neglected, but will
be deprived of it's trade as we'll.
! The fear is commonly expressed on
| the streets as well as in government
circles, that the concessions already
wrested from the United States by the
British government are of a character
that may make it extremely difficult,
| if not impossible for the United States
| to re-establish its rights on the high
seas unless congress removes the en-
| tire question from executive and de-
partmental discretion and applies to it
| the remedies the only craftsmanship
| left to the government suggests-leg-
fs1ative action.