The sun., 1919-04-11
u. S. TRADE LETTERS
CENSORED BY BRITISH
American Delegates Find
Business Dealings Revealed.

PARIS, April 1o.-Although the block
ade formally has been lifted against all
enemy countries except Germany and
against Bolshevist Russia. restrictions
on trade with Poland. Esthonia and
eastern and southeastern Europe con-
tinue to be exercised. There is still CEN
sorship Of mail and kilograms and alb
sence of postal communication with the
Infant States" and resumption Of
trade and OF business relations Is still
virtually blocked.
The American delegates have been
pressing in the interallied economic coun-
Gil for modificatio of the censorship.
but the system as regards Europe re-
mains in force. The associated Govern
ments therefore remain in the position OF
giving with one hand by lifting the
blockade and Withholding with the other
by maintaining commercial censorship
II is hoped, nevertheless, that there soon
Will be relaxations in or a removal of the
censorship
The business situation in Poland
Esthonia and the other new States H.
lustrates the entire dependence OF trade
upon communications. The blockade nc
longer exists for these countries in
heory, but owing to the absence Of postal
or cable communications business men In
Poland. for instance, are unable to COM
municate with the outer world to place
orders or arrange for a resumption OF
| business relations
| One Pole who reached Paris with the
Polish mission this week brought nc
less than $50 important letters, which
will reach the United States thanks
only to this special opportunity Other
business interests in Warsaw and LODI
l Il do vi ia, -
tres Of the new state cannot lay ever
the preliminary foundations for bust
ness with the United States until q
mail route is established and the com
mercial censorship Is modified
European censorship OF mails ant
cables to EuropeaA neutrals continue,
in full force. Complaints. backed b,
evidence. are constantly being received
In Paris. These are 10 the effect tina
the censorship is being utilized not alon.
for the legitimate purpose OF preventin.
or hamperng trade with Germany bu
also to give the nationals Of the coun
| try exercising the censorship an unfai,
advantage over American competitor
through information extracted from
business correspondence.
| The assertion that all important bust
ness Information obtained from Ameri
can mail was being registered. tabulate,
| STUFFED TOT tne dement, or BrltlS
| trade WAS constantly made in Scandi
Aavia before and after the entry of tn
| United States into the war. America
business men who recently have been Fl
Scandinavia assert that they receive
the distinct impression that this syster
was stu in vogue. In one case an Amer
lean business man with extensive con
nections in Europe is said to have foun
circular letter to his agents on tn
business conditions in his particular lin
reproduced in the formation service @
| the censoring Government.
The blockade procedure as applied TO
day has to do principally with export
to European neutrals, which are sti
subject to extended delays through tn
necessity OF cabling the details OF licens
applications back and forth across tn
Atlantic. In practice there is very littl
limitation on the quantities of most q
the commodities which these neutral
are permitted to receive.
The formal blockade OF Germany, an
with it OF the adjacent neutrals. how
ever, probably will be continued unit
the conclusion of peace With that even
It is the present intention OF the ecc
homie representatives at the Peace Cor
ference to have the whole blockade sys
TEN end. the proposals to continue eco
homie pressure on Germany after tn
war by such means having been abau
doned.