The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-08
BLACKLIST ENEMY FIRMS.
MERCHANTS OF UNITED STATES
ARE FORBIDDEN TO DO BUS.
MESS WITH THEM
i~'tih-Amcrica Taken First Because
Oh Large Number of German Firms.


Oh l'eoO firms in twenty Central and
@cuth American countries with whom
merchants of the United States are
1orbIdden specifically to do b,siness
except under special license was pro-
muigated tonight by the war trade
ooard. 1t is officially styled enemy
'rading list" and constitutes the first
section of record which eventually
VIII include the names of firms in
most Of the countries of the world ;r
Guiding the United States itself
Latin-America is dealt with first
because of the large number of Ger.
man firms in the southern republics
active in aiding ermany's cause. Evi.
dence put before the war trade board
have shown that many of these firms
including public utilities companies.
nave financed to a large degree Ger
man propaganda work in the United
States. All those named in the list
issued tonight have been charged with
secretly or openly assisting America's
crc.,ics
The action is taken under authority
conferred on the president by the
Trading With the Enemy Act, and is
designed solely Cor the guidance of
American concerns to enable them to
observe the provisions of the law.
Any licenses issued for trading with
firms named in the list will be apart
from the regular export and import
licenses, which must be obtained for
the shipping in or out of United States
of most commodities.
1t is possible that in many instances
licenses may be issued as it may be
found that trading in certain COM
modities with those named i'm the list
VIII not work to any advantage for
Germany or her allies
To minimize inconvenience to
merchants in thi. country arising from
the declaration. the war board will
classify the names Of non-enemy
firms dealing in the same commodi-
ties who may serve as substitutes for
the blacklisted concerns.
In issuing the enemy trading list
officials make it plain that it cannot
be made complete, and that those
merchants trading with enerny firms
not named in it are in no measure re-
lieved from prohibitions and penalties
contained in the Trading With xhe
Enemy Act
The names in today's list were ccm-
piled by the war trade boards intelli-
gence division, with the assistance~of
commercial attaches and consular Of
ficers. 1t will be extended in th,
countries listed as rapidly as addi-
tional information is obtained and in
short time to other countries. Ad-
ditions and variations will be pub
lished probably twice month.
Issuance of tire licenses recalled tho
vigorous protest made by this govern
merit to Great Britain when the first
British black list containing the namo
of many American firms first was
published. The British reply, how
ever, was considered in many quar-
ters here as establishing the legality
of the action. The negotiations were
in allegiance wien the question was
eliminated by the entry of the United
States into the war. The British for
eign Office stool upon it's. contention
that the measure was purely a mu-
nicipal regulation prohibiting resi-
dents of Great Britain from trading
with persons found to be rendering
service to the enemy.
Most of the firms named in the sec
tion of the list issued tonight bear
German names, although others eyi-
IDENTIFY are of English, Spanish.
French and Portuguese derivations.
The announcement of the list said IL
was issued at the urgent request of
American exporters, who sought gov
ernment guidance in their efforts to
observe the law.