Gilpin observer., 1916-06-01
STOP SEEING mail
v. & NOTIFIES BRITAIN AND
FRANCE IN VIGOROUS NOTE.
"lawless Practice" on Seas mo
Loaeer Can Be Tolerated." and
Allies Are Warned to Change
Policy.
Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington. May 29-The text of
the communication addressed to the
British and French ambassadors. TO
whom it was delivered Wednesday. IN
part follows:
Department of State. Washington.
May 81. 1916.-Excellency: 1 have the
honor to acknowledge receipt of your
excellency's note of April last. trans
mittfng q memorandum dated February
10. 1915. and communicated in sub
stance to the American ambassador In
London on February 2Sth, in which are
stated the contentious of the British
and French governments in regard to
the right to detain and examine par
Gel and letter mails en- route by sea
between the United States and Eu-
rope.
After o discussion of the use of the
mails for the transmission of parcels
and of the limitations to be placed on
'inviolable,' the joint memorandum OF
February is closes with the following
assertions:
Il. That from the standpoint Of the
right of visitation and eventual arrest
and eeisure, merchandise shipped in
post parcels needs not and shall not be
treated otherwise than merchandise
shipped in any other manner.
20. That the inviolability of postal
correspondence stipulated by the elev-
enth convention Of The Hague of 1907
does not in any way affect the right OF
occasion arise, arrest and seize mer
chandise hidden in the wrappers, an
velopes or letters contained in the mail
"S That true to their engagements
and respectful of genuine correspond
ence' the allied governments Will re-
fo, the sn tine
respondence, letters or dispatches and
will insure their speediest possible
transmission, as soon as the sincerity
of their character shall have been as
csrtained."
Allies Contention Rejected.
Tn reply the government of the
United States desires to state that 1t
does not consider that the postal union
convention of 1906 necessarily applies
to the interference by the British and
French governments with the oversea
transportation of mails of which the
government of the United States COM
"Furthermore. the allied powers ap-
pear to have overlooked the admission
Of the government of the United States
msrchandise subject to the exercise of
belligerent rights as recognized by In
ternati0nal law. But the government
Of the United I States does s;.dt not, admit NIT
exercise of the rights of police super
vision, visitation and eventual seizure
which belongs to belligerents with ref
srence to all cargoes on the high seas.
a. asserted in the Joint note under &C
acknowledgement
Right of Search Limited.
1T Is noted with satisfaction that the
British and French governments do not
claim. and. In the opinion Of this gov
ernment, 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.
ION the contrary. their contention
appears to be that as genuine cores
spondence' is under conventional stipu-
iation 'inviolable.' mail matter of other
classes il subject to detention and ex-
animation. While the government of
correspondence mall is inviolable it
does not admit that belligerents may
search other private sea-borne mails
wheahsr they eontan articles 50 of snemy
ownership carried on belligerent ves-
sells or articles of contraband trans
mitted under sealed cover as letter
mail. though they may intercept at sea
all mails coming out of or going into
ports of the enemy's coasts which are
effectively blockaded.
Malls Seized in Port.
The governments of the United
states. Great Britain and France. how
ever, appear to be in substantial agree.
msnt as to principle. The method of
applying the principle is the chief
cause of difference.
Though giving assurances that they
consider genuine correspondence to be
-inviolable,' and that they will. true to
their engagements refrain ON the
ing such correspondence.' the allied
governments proceed to deprive neu-
tral governments of the benefits of
fiscating mail from vessels in port in
stead OF at sea-
'They compel neutral ships without
Just cause. to enter their ,ow own ph ports or
some form of duress, to send their mall
ships via British ports. or they detain
all vessels merely calling at British
ports-thus acquiring by force or nn-
justifIable means an illegal jurisdic-
tion.
Censorship A.saiIed.
Acting upon this enforced jurisdic
ton. the authorities remove all mail.
genuine correspondence as well as
post parcels: take them to London.
where every piece, even though of neu-
tral origin and destination. is opened
the sincerity Of their character in
accordance with the Interpretation Civ =.
en- that underlined phrase by the Brit
expurgated remains IL forwarded, fre-
quentiy. after irreparable delay. to its
destination.
from the United states or to or. from
other neutral countries, and mails are
held and delayed for several days. and.
In some cases, for weeks, and even
months. even though not routed to
ports Of North Europe. via British
ports.
"This has been the procedure which
has been practiced since the an
nouncement Of February 16 1916. To
some extent, the same practice was fol-
lowed before that date, calling for the
protest OF this government of January
Z. 1915. But to that protest the men,
orandum under Acknowledgement
makes no reference and Is entA'ely
unresponsive.
United states Insists on Position.
THE government of the United
states must again insist with emphasis
that the British and French govern
ments do not obtain rightful 5urisdic-
Church Doubles Pension Fund.
Saratoga Springs. N. Y.-Authoriza-