Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-15

possible to convince Great Britain is
taking measures against its enemies
and not merely to foster its own
trade at the expense of neutrals. He
denies, his government have such
unworthy objects in view" asserting
that In all cases his government has
done everything possible to cause us
little dislocation OF neutral commerce
as possible.
The note apparently admits that
Britain has altered the position pre-
viously held with the United States
in that domicile and not nationalist IS
the test OF enemy character and
argues that in this war nationals OF
belligerents domiciled far from home
may render great aid and comfort,
admitting that these are sought to be
reached by the blacklist measure.
Should Be Conserved.
Referring to exclusion from. ships
using British coal in carrying goods
belonging to blacklisted firms: the
note argues that there can be no legal
objection to such refusal which Is
merely denying the use Of British coal
to carriage Of goods to persons
actively assisting Great Britain's
enemies. 1t points to the destruction
OF tonnage BY German submarines
and says that If no other factor en-
tered into the question the British
coal supply should be conserved to
be certain that there is enough ships
supplying the Belgian relief commits
sion.
Discussing the argument that there
is apprehension that potential con-
troll OF transportation by onc nation
might be used to disrupt the trade
of the world in its own selfish inter-
ests, the note asserts:
"His majesty's government. there
fore take this opportunity to declare
that they are not unmindful of the
obligations OF those who possess sea
power nor OF that traditional policy
pursued by the British empire, by
which such power has been regarded
as a trust and has been exercised in
the interest OF freedom. They re-
quest no representations to recall
such considerations to mind, but they
can not admit that in the circum-
stance OF the times their present use
OF their coal resources, use which
only differs in extenttrom that exer-
cised by the United States in the civil
war, in the cases of vessels proceed
ing to such ports as Nassau is
obnoxious to their duties or their
voluntary professions"
The True Remedy.
Attention is called to instructions
to British merchants issued by Lord
Russell in 1862 regarding trade with
the Bahamas, advising that the true
remedy" was to refrain from this
trade.
His majesty's government do not
ask the government Of the United
States to take any such action as this
the note concludes, "but they cannot
believe that the United States gov
eminent will question their right to
lay upon British merchants in the in
terest OF the safety OF the British en-
pire for which they are responsible
the same prohibition as Lord Russell
issued fifty years ago out of consider
alton and the feeling of foreign ma
ton. Suspicious and insinuations
which would construc so simple an
action as an opening for secret de-
signs on neutral rights should have
no plsde in the relations between two
friendly countries. .
Il trust that the explanations con-
tanned in this note will destroy such
suspicion and correct the crrorous
views which prevail in the United
States on the subject"