The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-10-10
PUTTING The TRADING WITH
ENEMY ACT INTO OPERATION

WASHINGTON. oct. ".~-tpnlin"rc"
and communication rr$tr!ct!nHS au'hor-
!Zcd by I'll" trading with Tie rh'ny act
will liz. Nh; into effect W!thin few
days under an executive order Which
President Wilson had virtually com
pleted tonight after c"u'c:r!uc with
cabinet numbers. VANCE McCormlcK'
chairman Of the exports administrative
board ana Acting Secretary Crosby vi
the treasury.
Postmaster General iiurleson an
nouncrd after IN" cabinet meeting that
The provision authorizing III" rnSt"tl!re
drpa rtnlcnt 70 license foreign language
newspapers already WIS in operation.
and that within ~ days til" Departments
would begin I" issue licenses. 4 num-
Der OF pa pers already have filed appiica-
tIone ana sC"""S are expected within TIM
next few days.
Under tho tentative draft OF the ex-
scuti"e order. the censorship OF mall.
cables radio and telegraph cuInmuni"a-
ton would lie entrusted 10 Il board y"
Guiding representatives Of the post
office. war and navy departments. ana
the exports administration. The navy.
which now censors cables. and the war
department exercises control over tcIc-
graph communicai ion to Mexico. prob
ably would retain those functions. Whit
the new problem Of censorinE mail. d'-
rected particularly to Spain and the
northern European neutral countries.
would be given special attention by th'
army and exports administration repre-
sentattves on the board Of censors.
On the Side Lines.
MI Burleson Is anxious TINT his de-
partmeut refrain as much as possible
from the wCrk of actually opening anu
ccnsoring mall Consequently tho postal
authorities probably will limit them
selves TO merely cooperating with the
active crnsors.
Control over imports and exports
vested in the president by the trading
with the enemy act will DO delegated TO
ich exports administration. which Will
rnlarre it's work to include the many
intricate problems presented. Instead
Of merely licensing exports. II would
then have q more positive authority 70
forbid under heavy penalty erporta-
.tionH suspected OF being destined to
Germany or her. allies.
License Control.
The license control over enemy insur-
auce companies. vested in the president
probably will b. turned over 10 the war
risk insurance bureau of the treasury.
although this point is understood to be
still under debate. as commerce depart
ment officials are said to be anxious 10
administer the Insurance company IL
censcs Rehabilitation OF foreign cH-
change and export OF coin and bullion
would be given 10 the federal reS"rr"
board. which already licenses gold
movements under the exports act
II is understood the commerce. depart
ment will be given custody Of enemy
property in the United States. The act
provides that the president shall ap-
point an official for this work. but the
president Is represented es anxious not
to create offices distinct from existing
departments.
The Censorship.
The postmaster general said today
shat publications need not fear suppress
sion under the trading with the enemy
acts censorship provision. unless they
transgress the bounds OF legitimate crit
icism Of the president the adm!ntstra-
tion the navy. the army or the conduct
of the war.
We shall take great care not to let
criticism which is personally or ro-
lItically offensive to he administration
affect our action" he said But If tho
newspapers go so far as to impugn the
motives Of the government and thus
encourage INSTRUMENTATION. they will be
dealt with severely.
For instance. papers may not shy
that the government is controlled by
Wall street. or munitton manufacturers
or any other apectal interests. Publca-
ton Of any news calculated TO urge the