The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-20
Exports Fall OF S94,153,433 in
Seven Months.
Government Departments Study
RetaIiatOry Legislation.
BOYCOTT is BEST DEFENSE
Next Congress Will Pass a More
Stringent Law.
Recent Enactment Found De-
fective in Many Ways.

Washington, Sept. 20.-Three gov
eminent departments and President
Wilson have made a careful study OF
the retaliatory legislation passed BY
congress preparatory to putting it into
effect The views of these depart
ments will be transmitted to President
Wilson, by whose proclamation the
treasury department will apply the
legislation.
The department of justice will en-
force the acts and the state depart
ment will conduct the negotiations
arising from its enforcement with for
eiGn nations.
1t was stated authoritatively today
that some defects already have been
discovered in the legislation The act
authorizing the government to deny
clearance to any and all vessels Whlch
refuse to accept American goods TOT
shipment for any reason other IMAM
lack of cargo space, has been touno
to be too broad
failed to take Into consideration either
the rights of belligerents or the
duties of neutrals. 1t authorizes
refusal Of clearance to vessel de-
Ginning to accept contra,pana OIL War,
althu the ship taking aboard such a
cargo would be liable to capture by
belligerent.
Other Considerations.
The government has also to con-
slider. il was said, the certain refusal
of neutral European shipping lines 20
accent goods banned by Great Britain
as well as wholly innocent goods des-
tined for consignees blacklisted or
otherwise prescribed by England. The
position of such lines. it was said, is
that the United States has the right 10
ship and these lines the right to &C
cept such goods, but that British pa
trolls on the high seas would intercept
them divert them to British ports,
there remove their cargoes and de-
tain their ships
They would accept such cargoes,
they might say. if the United States
guarantees them against loss or Il
American conveys were furnished
them so they would not be molested
in the performance of their contracts
and were guaranteed coal at BRUSH
ports
1t was pointed out that all the re-
taliatorv legislation passed by con-
gress was either prepared by or re-
vised by the state department. It's
incompleteness is now recognized in
MANY quarters, and the next session of
congress is expected to perfect it by
amendments and by adoption of en- :
tirtly new measures. Among these
new measures there is likely TO pc
one similar to the Phelan amendment,
which was abandoned in the last hours
tions from the state department.
The Best Weapon.
Great Britain it is believed. can be
hardest hit by the measure authoriz-
ing the president to prohibit the i'm
portation of any or all goods from
countries which discriminate against
American commerce.
The root-trouble in England's
commercial warfare against the
United States was said today to be her
supervision of all and stoppage of
some American mail. 1t was declared
there can be no commerce except with
correspondence, and that interference
with United States mails is interfer-
ence with American commerce. Eng
land, having confessed, through her
war minister. her utilization for every
purpose of information derived from
her censorship of American mails, it
was declared this country cannot be
assured of combating successfully that
country's trade warfare against the
United States unless such interference
is prevented
The British reply to the American