The Ordway new era., 1916-06-02

tion of ships by forcing or inducing
them to visit their ports. for the pur-
pose of SELLING their malls or thereby
obtain greater belligerent rights as 70
the high seas; for there is. in the
opinion OF the government of the
United States, no Legal distinstion be
which Is announced as abandoned, and
their seizure from vessels voluntarily
the Briish an and p'rs French practice
amounts to an unwarrantcd limitation
Of the use by neutrals Of the worlds
respondence. The practice actually fol-
lowed by the allied powers must be
said to Justify the conclusion. there
fore, that the announcement of Feb
ruary 10 was merely notice that one
Illegal practice had been abandoned to
make place for the development of an
other. more onerous and vexatious in
character.
Hague Rule Violated.
THE present practice is a violation
not only of the spirit of the announce
ment of February 10, but of the rule
of The Hague Convention. upon which
1t is concededly based. Aside from this.
it Is a violation Of the prior practice
of nations which Great Britain and her
allies have in the past assisted to es-
Ia blish and maintain.
The arbitrary methods employed by
the British and French governments
have resulted most disastrously to citi-'
zcns 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 - the settlement
Of estates powers of attorney, fire in.
surance claims income tax returns and
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
ia ilure to transmit properly bids, speci-
fications and contracts
Money Order Lists Missing.
Business correspondence, relating
to legitimate and bona fidc trade be-
tween neutral countries, correspond
ence of n personal nature, and also
certain official correspondence such as
forwarded by government departments
are detained lost or possibly de-
stroyed. .-.--. ---.---,,
interests injured, but rights of prop
erty are violated. and the rules of in
ternatonal law and custom are palp-
ably disregardcd.
ii can only add that this continuing
offcnse has led to such losses to
responsibility of the United States
repair them, that this government Will
be compelled in the near future to
press claims for full reclamation upon
'rnn"nt and that of the French re
| Ihlic.
Details Of United states stand.
! The government of the United
States is inclined to the opinion that
the class of mail matter which in
clud"s stocks. bonds. coupons and sim
| liar securities is to lie regarded as OF
the same nature as merchandise or
other articles of property and subject
to tn. same exercise of belligerent
rights. Money orders. checks, drafts,
notes and other negotiable instru-
m-nts which may pass as the equiva-
/ lent of money are. it is considered, also
to be classed as merchandise.
! Correspondence. including shipping
documents. money order lists and pa
| pers of that character. even though re-
| latinE 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 as genuine correspondence and en-
titled to unmolcst"d passage.
The government of the United
DDS employed by the British and
French authorities in interruptinE
mails passing between the United
between the United States and the en-.
emies of Great Britain. can no longe..
| tolerate the wrongs which citizens OF
| the United States suffer and continue
| to suffer through these methods.
Rights Must De observed.
ITO submit to lawless practice of
| this character would open the door to
repeated violations of international
| law by the belligcrent powers on the
! ground Of military necessity. of which
the vi"lator would be the sole judge.
/ Manifestly neutral nation cannot
! permit its rights on the high seas to
! be determined by belliEerents or the
exercise of these rights to be permit
I ted denied arbitrarily by the gov
! eminent of warning nation.
"Thc rights of ncutrals are as sa-
cred as the rights of beiligerents and
| must be as strictly observed.
The government of the United
| States. confident in the regard for in
| ternational law ana the rights of neu-
| trails. which the British and French
! governments have so often proclaimed
and the disregard of which they have
urged as vigorously against their en-
| emics in the present war. expects the
| present practice of the British and
| French authorities in the treatment of
mails from to the United States to
cease, and belliSerent rights, as eX-
erciscd, to conform to the principle
| governing the passage of mail matter
| and to the recognized practice of ma
| tiOnS
| "OnIy a radical change in the pres
| ent British and French policy. restor-
| ing to the United States it's full rights
as neutral power will satisfy this
| government.
"ROBERT LANSING"