Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-15
BRITAIN DEFENDS
u. S. BLACKLIST
Rejects Protests Made by Washington
Government--Asserts Acts Will Help
Bring War TO conciusion-lssus Still
Open-


Open.
Washington, Nov 15.-The British
reply to the latest American note pro-
testing against the trade blacklist.
made public last night by the state
department, denies that rights of neu-
trail traders under International law
have been ruthlessly cancelled, defines
the blacklist measure as municipal
regulations plainly concerning only the
British government and British citi-
zens and contends that it is designed to
shorten the war.
The note fails to. meet the American
demand that the names Of American
firms be stricken from the blacklist,
but attempts to convince the state de-
partment that the British position Is
just and founded on law. 1t leaves
open the door for further negotiation.
which is expected to follow.
The note was received by the state
department last month, but publica-
tion was suppressed until after the
election.
The note was sub scribed by Viscount
Grey. the British foreign minister, and
was addressed to and transmitted by
Walter Hines Page. the American am
bassador at London.
Dwells on Peace Issue.
A part which attracted much official
notice dealt with the subject of peace,
based on the theory that one American
contention had been that there exists
no military necessity for the blacklist.
that 1t is unnecessary for the allies to
prejudice neutral commerce. and that
nothing which happens in distant neu-
trail countries can influence the result
of the great conflict.
II that really were the position"
says the note, ut is possible that the
measures taken by his majestys gov
ernment might be described as uncall-
ed for:zbut it is not. We may we'll
wish that it were SO. Even tho the
military situation Of the allies has
rsreatay tmRls.eJss there isss stin IA Long
and bitter struggle in front OF them
and one which In Justice to the prin-
:ciples for which they are lighting i'm
poses upon them the duty Of employ
ing every opportunity and every meas
ure which they can legitimately use to
overcome their opponents.
"Petty" Acts Woighty. 9
"One observation which is very COM
monty heard is that certain belligerent
acts. even tho lawful, are too petty to
have any influence in q. struggle Of
such magnitude. 1t is, j know. diff
cult for those who have no immediate
contact with war to realize with what
painful anxiety men and women in this
country must regard even the smallest
acts which tend to increase. If only by
a hairs breadth, the danger in which
their relatives and friends daily stand,
or to prolong, If only by minute the
period during which they are to be ex-
posed to such perils.
Whatever Inconvenience may be
caused to neutral nations by the exer-
else Of belligerent rights 1t is not to be
compared for an instant to the suffer-
ing and loss occasioned to mankind by
the prolongation Of the war even for a
week."
In its argument the note points out
that German business houses thruout
the world have furthered the cause Of
Germany in the war and have been ac-
tive agents "for the dissemination of
German political and social influence
and for the purposes Of espionage"