The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-06-01
j. S. NOTIFIES
ALLIES TO STOP
SEEING MAIL
Vigorous Note Sent to Britain and
I France.
MUST CHANGE POLICY SOON
Washington Government Cannot Toll.
crate Wrongs Which, Americans
Have Suffered Through Law.
less practice.


States, denouncng 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 its full rights as a neutral
power, will be satisfactory. . r
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. *rt.v. .r-.
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.
v. S. to Press Claims.
1t is vigorously set forth that not
only have American commercial in
terests been injured but that the
rights Of property have been violated
and the rules of international law
and custom palpably disregarded.
Notice. is served that the United
States soon will press claims against
the British and French governments
for the losses which already have
been sustained.
- 90, Text of Note.
efhe text of the protest of the United
to Great Britain and France
against interference with mails be-
tween this country and Europe is in
part as follows 90
Department Of State.
Washington, May "a, 1916.
"Excellency:
Il have the honor to acknowledge
receipt of your excellency's of April
8, last, transmitting memorandum
dated February 5, 1916, and commune
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 to be
placed on inviolable mall the joint
memorandum of February Is closes
with the following assertions:
Il. That from the standpoint of
their right of visitation and eventual
arrest and seizure, merchandise
shipped in post pacels needs not and
shall not be treated otherwise than
merchandise shipped in any other
manner.
"'2. That the inviolability of postal
correspondence stipulated by the elev-
epth convention OF The Hague of 1907
does not in any way affect the. right
OF the. allied governments to visit and.
ifoccasion arise, arrest and seize mer-
chandise hidden IN the wrappers, en-
velopes or letters contained in the,
mail bags.
"'3. That true to their engagements
and respectful of genuine 'corresppnti-
ence,' the allied governments viii con.
tinue, for the present, to refrain on
the high seas from Selling and con-
fiscating such correspondence, letters
or dispatches, and will insure their
speediest possible transmission as
soon as the sincerity of their character
shall have been ascertained.'
'In reply the government OF the
United States desires to state, that it
does not consider that the postal union
convention of 1906 necessarily applies
to the interferences by the British
and French governments with the over
sea transportation of mails of which
the government of the United States
complains Furthermore, the allied
powers appear to have overlooked the
admission of the government of the
United States that post parcels may be
treated as merchandise subject to the
exercise of belligerent rights as recog-
nized by International law But the.
government OF the United States does
not admit that such parcels are subject
to the exercise Of the rights OF police
supervision, visitation and eventual
seizure which belongs to belligerents
as to all cargoes on the high seas as
asserted in the Joint note under &C.
Acknowledgement.
"It is noted with satisfaction that
the British and French. governments
do not claim. and In the opinion OF this
government. properly do not claim.
that their so-called blockade measures
are sufficient grounds upon which to
base q right to interfere with all
classes Of mail matter In transit to or
from the central powers. On the con