Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-07-20
wnAr Goop WOULD N DO?

>
listing of American firms the New
York World says:
This is economic rather than
military madness. In the long run
It viii injure Great Britain more
than Germany, for if persisted in it
is likely to provoke reprsals that
cannot fail to be costly. AS a gov
ernmental policy it is in point of
morality on level with the profess
sional piracies and brigandage that
once characterized the Barbary
Coast Discrimination OF this kind
appearing in a tariff law would in
vite severe retaliation. To guard
against unfair foreign competition
known as dumping, heavy penalties
are provided in the new Revenue
Bill. Blacklisting such as is here
proposed Is a form of commercial
warfare which may as easily be re-
sorted to by neutrals as by belliger-
ents. Congress should arm the
President with full power to meet
the issue at the outset"
What good would it do for Con
gress to arm the President with full
power to meet the issue at the out
set?" Mr.. Wilson has demonstrated
to Congress and the American peo-
pie that he does not even intend to
use the large power against Great
Britain which the Constitution con-
fers upon him.
With firm hand the President of
the United States could, at the outset
of the war, have compelled all bel
ligerent countries to recognize to the
letter the Declaration OF London,
Great Britain being the only country
refusing to recognize it, An Amer
lean in the White House would have
done so, and by doing so he would
have forstalled all the controversies
between the United States and the
belligerents which have arisen in the
last two years. The enforcement of
the Declaration of London would
have left our trade with Europe un-
hampered, the German ports open
to our cotton and grain export, for
stalled the British attempt to starve
the women and children in Central
Europe and consequently the U-boat
war on British shipping; for the tor
pedoing of merchant vessels was re-
sorted to only because of Great Brit
aims process of starving women and
children in Central Europe.
The only thing to do is for Con-
gress to take our foreign affairs in
hand, disregarding the present occu-
pant of the White House. If the
Democratic members of the House
and Senate are wise they will do so
to save themselves. Otherwise they
may find themselves repudiated by
the people in company with the
President
Commenting on Great Britain's
blacklisting American business
houses Mr. B. II. Ridder says;
The British Empire pro-
poses to utilize to the fullest measure
its leverage of shipping and credit to
coerce American business men. With
extraordinary effrontery it publishes
the list of seventy American firms
doing business in America against
whom it proposes to throw the whole
weight or British business prestige
Such a proceeding is without par
allel in the history of modern war
fare. 1t Is a complete reversal of
British policy during the Russo
Japanese War. If our Administra-
tion permits Great Britain to SER
iously curtail the activities of these
seventy business concerns il will sur
render one of the most fundamental
rights of n sovereign state.
The difficulties Of American for
warding concerns and importing
houses have been the occasion of
much correspondence with our State
Department in Washington. 1t Is un-
fortunate that our Administration
declines to assist Americans in their
legitimate trade functions The lay
man has no conception of the difficult
ties in the way of doing foreign
business at the present time. Sour
ces of communication are utterly
controlled by the British A report
arrived only yesterday that mail sent
from Spain to Manila had been
seized and censored by the British.
The entire cable service is under the
control of the British censor. 1t is
impossible to mail an order for goods
to any European country without the
danger of having it filled by British
merchants at the expense Of our own.
The war which was begun as an at
tempt to destroy German trade has
finally included an attack upon our
own. The net result is, indeed, a
sad commentary upon our present
Administration. ....
The time may well come when the
blacklist will increase from seventy
to seven hundred and to seven
thousand and perhaps the day may
come when in the interest Of British
imperial trade the blacklist will be
the forerunner Of the same campaign
of determination now being waged
against German trade"