Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-09-06
DRASTIC LAWS
TO CURB ALLIES
Reprisals Voted by Senate for
British Blacklist.
HITS SHIPS WHO BAR GOODS
Use Of Navy Authorized to Enforce
Embargo on BeIligerent Vessels
Which Refuse to Take Amer
lean Products.

Washington, Sept. 6.-Legislation OF
the most drastic character that will
permit of retaliation and reprlsals
against the allies and effectually stop
the British blacklist policy was written
into the general revenue by the sem
ate.
An amendment proposed by Senator
Thomas of Colorado and adopted with
out dissent, empowers the president to
refuse clearance papers to any bel
ligerent merchantmen that refuses
American goods unless, and only be-
cause of lack Of space. An attempt TO
sail without clearance is made punish
able by heavy fine and Imprisonment
of two years. The ship may be seized
by the government. .
The amendment, it was admitted,
was prepared with the approval OF
the state department. This admission
is especially significant in view OF the
provision that the president is bere-
by empowered to employ such part OF
the land and naval forces of the United
States as shall be necessary to carry
out the purposes of this act"
Would Blockade Own Ports.
The application of this power to
use naval vessels in enforcing the
act would mean the virtual blockading
of our own coasts by onr own warships
to prevent the escape of allied ships
that had been refused clearance pa
pers. .....
The Thomas amendment is admit
tedly m emergency measure. Nobody
attempted to conceal the fact that 1T
was aimed at the acts of the British
government. The senate has been in
formed that every diplomatic effort Of
this government to bring about relief
for American citizens subjected to the
blacklist proved futile.
The use of the navy might be re-
uuired in the event any American
ships were seized in other ports by
the British government. The amend
ment is in line with that put into
the shipping bill, but goes much far
Their and is far more etficacious as
remedy.
Use OF Mails Forbidden.
Another amendment which it's OPP
pOnents characterized us revolution
airy, offered by Senator Phelan,
would prohibit the use of the mails,
the cable, wireless, express and other
means Of communication of citizens Of
countries that do not accord full and
free facilities to American citizens in
commerce, including the unhampered
traffic in The mails"
The amendment intends that all
American citizens shall have the same
free use of these means of communal
cation with any belligerent country
that is accorded the citizens of bel
States. The prohibition is to be en-
forced when the president shall be
satisfied there is reasonable ground
to believe such discrimination exists
and after proclamation has been is
sued. This amendment also was adopt
ed without protest.
On August 30 an amendment Of
fered by Senator James was adopted
that is intended as reprisal against
the British order prohibiting the eX-
port of tobacco and other goods and
products of the United States into
countries not only Of the belligerents,
but of the neutral countries Of north
ern Europe. ..
In another section of the revenue
bill is an amendment, general in
and bearing no relation to
the war, that. gives the president
weapon against discrimination. It
provides that whenever any country,
dependency, etc. shall prohibit the
Of any article the product
of the United States the president
within his discretion shall have pow
er to prohibit during the period such
prohibition is in force the importa-
ton into the United States of similar
This is general law ap-
plicable to all cases of discrimina-
t{On