Evening star., 1940-03-04
Text OF Italian Protest
British Decision to Blockade Germun Coal
Is Declared illegal by Rome
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
ROME, March l.--Follospino Is
the tert OF the Italian govern
naenfs protest to Great Britain
orer the British blockade Of sea-
borne German coal shipments to
ITALY:
The Fascist government refers to
the communication Of the British
government, according to which
every ship loaded With coal from
Germany which leaves. . port Of
loading after March l Is subject
to measures Of control.
In the face Of such . measure,
which seriously injuries italian In
terests, the Fascist government re-
news In firmest terms the protest
and reserves already formulated
against the principles involved in
the British governments dispositions
for economic warfare and for the
ways in which these are applied to
acknowledgement states.
Measures taken by the British gov.
eminent In this field appear to be-.
and are, contrary to the letter and
spirit Of international law. which
establishes within well-defined limits
the rights of belligerents in. order to
safeguard the interests of third states
and the liberty Of their legitimate
commerce.
Law Declared Abused.
Having regard to international law
to which, in effect, it Is manifestly
abusive. 1t Is the practice to subject
all maritime trafic OF non-belliger-
ent countries to control which is fire.
quently vexatious, to demand from
tnem onerous and excessive docu-
mentation incompatible with the
normal secrecy of commercial deal
ings, to raise to a rule the reroutinp
and detention of merchant ships
Tor days and weeks in control ports.
causing very serious damage to
equipment. to regularity of service
and movement of traffic and so
hindering, limiting and frequently
paralyzing supplies of non-bellig-
erent countries with immediate and
direct repercussions on industry and
labor.
Provisions in force regarding
merchandise declared "contraband"
eliminate, in practice, the distinc-
ton between absolute and condi-
tional contraband. This contrasts
with international law which, by
distinction, makes possible assur-
ing normal trade for the require
ments Of civil life. Interception of
mail bags on high seas and censor
ship OF correspondence, even when
from Italians to Italians, constitutes
fragrant violation of postal secrecy
which the 18th Hague convention of
1907 intended explicitly to guaran-
tee.
The provisions OF the measure of
November % which strike at export
OF German merchandise destined for
neutral countries are particularly
incompatible with fundamental
principles of international law and
in particular with the declaration
OF Paris Of April IS, 1856.
Decision Declared Illegal.
Whatever may be the motives
which inspired such measures they
In no wise make legitimate the dim
mutton of the rights of non-bellig-
erent powers. The aforesaid measure
presents an extreme seriousness
from the point of view of its eco
nomic repercussions In that its ap-
plication disturbs profoundly the
mechanism Of international ex-
change, suppresses sources of sup
ply and reduces the opportunities
Of production of non-belligerent
States.
In particular. the Fascist govern
ment wishes to place in clearest
light the illegality and gravity of
the decision taken by the British
government to subject to control