Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-06-03
j. s. NOTIFIES
ALLIES To STOP
SEEING MAIL
Vigorous Note Sent to Britain and
France.
MUST CHANGE POLICY SOON
Washington Government Cannot Toll
crate Wrongs Which Americans
Have Suffered Through Law
less Practice.

Washington May 27.-The United
States, denouncing interference with
neutral mails, has notified Great
Britain and France that it can no
longer tolerate the wrongs which
American citizens have suffered and
continue to suffer through the law
less practice those governments have
INDUCED in. and that only radical
change in policy. restoring the United
States to it's full rights as a neutral
power, viii be satisfactory.
U. s. Expects Prompt Action.
This notification is given in the
latest American communication to
the two governments, the text Of
which was made public by the state
department. The time in which the
change must be effected is not speci-
fed, but the United States expects
prompt action.
Generous and vexatious abuses
which have been perpetrated by the
British and French governments in
selling and censoring neutral mails
are recited in the communication,
and answers are made to the legal
arguments contained in the reply Of
the entente governments to the first
American note on the subject.
U. s. TO Press Claims.
1t is vigorously set forth that not
only have American commercial in
terests been injured but that the
r{phtq of ,,ropatf,, bor-n hna,, ,,tui,tnd
and the rules of International law
and custom palpably disregarded
Notice is served that the United
States soon viii press claims against
the British and French governments
for the losses which already have
been sustained
Text of Note,
The text of the protest of the United
States to Great Britain and France
against interference with mails be-
tween this country and Europe is in
part as follows,
Department of State
Washington May "A. 1916.
'Excellency
Il have the honor to acknowledge
receipt Of your excelIencys of April
5 last, transmitting memorandum
dated February Is, 1916. and communi-
Gated In substance to the American
ambassador in London on February
~, 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 the transmission OF par
cells and of the limitations 20 be
placed on nviolable mail. the joint
memorandum OF February Is closes
with the following assertions:
i. That from the standpoint of
their right of visitation aud eventual
arrest and seizure. merchandise
shipped In post pacels needs not aud
shall not be treated otherwise than
merchandise shipped in any other
manner
T. That The nyiolabinty of postal
correspondence stipulated by the elev-
enth 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 mer-
chaudise hidden i'm the wrappers. en-
velopes or letters contained in the
mail bags
g. That true to their engagements
and respectful OF genuine correspond
ence. the allied governments will con
tinue. for the present, TO refrain on
the high seas from Selling and con
fiscating such correspondence. letters
or dispatches. and viii insure their
speediest possible transmission as
soon as the sincerity OF their character
shah have been asCertaned
In reply the government Of this
United States desires to state that il
does not consider that the postal unior
convention of 1906 necessarily apple;
70 the ntertrrcuces by The BRITISH
and French governments with the over
sea transportation ,f malls of which
the government OF the United state.
complains Furthermore. the allied
powors appear to have overlooked IN,
admission of the government 81 tn,
Uuted States that post parcels may &,
treated as merchandise subject to III,
exercise of belligevent rights as recoe
rized by international law Hut Oh,
government of the United States doe,
not admit that sICh parcels arc subIoc
10 the exercise of the rights OF polite,
supervision visitation and eventus
- lab,