Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-10-18
DRASTIC WAR LAW
NOW IN OPERATION
President Delegates Sweeping
Authority under Trading
with Enemy Act.
NEW WAR TRADE BOARD.
Will Control Exports and Imports-An-
other Board VIII Censor Mails,
Cables. Radio and Telegraph.

Washington, Oct. H-Broad war powers
conferred upon the President by the trad
ing with the enemy act were put into
operation under an executive order issued
tonight, delegating the authority under
the law to various government depart
ments and to a newly created war trade
board.
This trade board is composed of the
members of the exports administrative
board, which 1t will replace. with the ad-
dition of a representative Of the treasury
department. 1t will continue to license
exports, and will exercise similar control
over imports as soon as the President
proclaims under authority of the trading
with the enemy act the articles to be so
restricted.
Trading or commercial dealings of any
nature with any enemy company or agent
In this country or aboard Is forbidden,
except under license of the war trade
board. which also is authorized to license
enemy or "ally OF enemy" companies
doing business in the United States ex-
cepting insurance companies. whose STU
pervision is entrusted to the treasury.
CENSORSHIP BOARD.
Censorship Of mails. cables. radio and
telegraph messages passing out of the
United States is placed in the hands of
censorship board consisting of repre-
sentatives of the war, navy and post
Office departments, the war trade board
and Of George Creel, chairman of the
committee on public information.
The treasury department is authorized
to license insurance or Reinsurance COM
panies of the enemy. or ally of the enemy
, doing business within the United States
Regulation of the use Of the enemy
owned or controlled patents for the wal
and of the granting or publication OF
patents containing information valuable
to the enemy is given to the federal trade
commission.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE PAPERS.
The postmaster-general is entrusted
| with supervision over and licensing OF
foreign language newspapers. In antici
patton of this authority Postmaster-Gen
eral Burleson has been receiving applica
lions for licenses and will begin issuing
them before Tuesday. October 16, the
date the provision Of the law becomes
effective. All such papers except those
granted licenses are required under pen
atty to file with their local postmaster
before publication true translations Of
all matter relating to the United State!
government or to the government of any
other nation at war. The same section
of the law makes it unlawful to circulate
in any manner matter made unmailabl'
by the espionage act.
| The Presidents order defines tn
powers Of the alien property custodian t.
act as trustee for all enemy property with
in the United States. or to issue license
exemptng enemy companies from hi
supervision. An appointment for this posi-
ton will be made soon.
The secretary of state Is empowered t
license the transportation of enemies to o
from the United States through the exist
ing passport means.
The new war trade board is to consis
of Vance c. Mccormick. chairman. repre-
senting the secretary of agriculture
Thomas D. Jones. representing the secre
tary of commerce; Beaver White. repre-
senting the food administration; Frank {
Munson. representing the shipping board
and a representative of the secretary G
the treasury. yet to be named.