The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-07
LORD CECIL TALKS
ON CHARGES OF
SWEDISH PREMIER
English Minister of War
Trade Defends Govern
ment in Limiting I'm
ports of Scandinavia

London. October 6.-"we are anx-
ancient friendship and commercial in
tercourse between the two countries
declared Lord Robert Cecil, minister
of war trade, today in an interview
with the Associated Press, in which
he replied to the recent statement of
Premier Hammarksjold Of Sweden.
To the assertion of the Swedish pre-
mier that Great Britain is arbitrarily
limiting the imports into Sweden.
Lord Robert said that Great Britain
always has been and now is ready to
enter into fresh negotiations for a
trade agreement with Sweden, in which
case allowances would be made for all
of Sweden's requirements, which, he
admitted, are greater now than before
the war owing to the development OF
her industries.
The minister of war trade declared
incidentally that the British blacklist
violates no rule or law of equity.
After saying that he was glad to
read the premiers statement that Swe-
denis actions had been dictated sole
ly by that Kingdoms own necessities
and future welfare and not for any
partisan reasons. Lord Robert said;
ASKING NO FAyORS
1--WE are fighting this war to vim
velop themselves freely and unhin-
dered by the menace of military ag-
erosion. We ask no favors from neu-
trails, but we do ask that they should
not hinder our belligerent rights in
the life or death struggle which we
and our allies are waging.
The prime minister states that he
is opposed to any mediation by Swe-
den at present as it might compromise
Germany and arouse the suspicious of
the allies. For Germany, 1 am not in
a position to speak, but for ourselves
and our allies can say that we, who
did not wish this war and who entered
it reluctantly, are determined now that
we are in it to obtain victory which
will insure Tasting peace by showing
the enemy that wars of aggression
will not be allowed to succeed
MENTIONS BLACKLIST
THE prime minister says that he is
in harmony with the American pro-
test against the blacklist, but / OBJ
serve with some surprise that he makes
no allusion to his attitude concerning
the American protest against German
submarine atrocities surely far
graver matter for neutrals The Ger
man submarine policy is in one aspect
an outrage upon the commercial inter-
ests of neutral nations. Hundreds OF
neutral merchant vessels are now at
the bottom of the seas thousands OF
tons of cargo have been destroyed and
all this without any pretense of jul
dicial inquiry and often for the most
flimsy reasons.
Peaceful citizens of all countries
and of both sexes have been foully
murdered at the bidding of German
militarism. Others have been mutilated.
Others have been exposed in open
boats to the fury of the seas. 1t is
strange that these matters should have
been forgotten.
MERITS OF ORDER
"As to the merits of the blacklist,
I explained before that the blacklist
is an attempt to prevent British sub
jects from trading with enemy firms
or with firms that trade in the inter-
ests of the enemy.
For the Swedish prime minister or
any neutral to claim that we should
compel British Trims TO help enemy
trade when their country is engaged
in life and death struggle. there is
no precedent and cannot be admitted
For the British government to pre-
vent it's own subjects from helping the
enemy, is to violate no rule of law, or
equity, or morals, and is an elementary
precaution taken in the interests of ma
tional safety.
with regard to commercial meas
ures taken against trade with Ger
many through Sweden, Great Britain
and her allies are at one in their de-
termination to use naval forces in pre-
venting the import of goods to enemy
countries.