Show BLACKLIST r DECLARED J JUSTiFIED US II FlED i tl leasure Defended as Proper Prop Prop- I er 1 Regulation in British Reply to Latest American Protest Against Hindrance to Commerce r PROHIBITION BASED ON ONI I If 1 i MILITARY l NECESSITY 1 h Right of Allies to Employ t j f Every Leg Legitimate t Means Ieans to Ii S 'S Overcome Their Opponents Opponents Maintained I In Jus- Jus tice to Principles Principles' of Cause i PRECEDENT IS CITED I W W x Nov N 1 The H-The The Theto L T V T V British reply to the latest hulet t American note protecting tiu against the i tra trade e blacklist lDa made e pu public lic tonight by bythe ri the hc state department denies that t. t rights of neutral traders under international international inter inter- national law have been heen ruthlessly cancelled can Ca- celled defines the blacklist measure ns as asI I IB regulation plainly ly concerning concerning concern concern- ing only oily the thc British government and British British citizens s and contends that it is I designed to shorten the thc war The note fails to meet th the tho l American n demand that the thc names of or American merican firms bo be stricken en from the blacklist 1 but attempts to convince con the state de department tic tle- that the British position Is 15 4 just and founded foundell on law It leaves open the door for tor furl further her negotiation j which Is expected to follow I The note was subscribed b by Viscount I Grey the British h foreign minister and was addressed to and transmitted by Bl I Walter Waiter Hines Page the American amI ambassador am am- m- m I at Lon London on c A part which attracted much official Ic notice dealt with the subject of or peace based on the theory theon that one American contention had been that there theT exists exist no military necessity o for or the tho blacklist that It is unnecessary for or the tho allies to prejudice neutral commerce and md that nothing l which happens In distant neutral neutral neu neu- I countries can Influence tho the result of C f the great conflict i. i Hitter r Struggle Abend I r If JC that really were the position I l' l lays ays ars the note it Is If possible that the V Continued on I BLACKLIST HELD TO BE JUSTIFIED I ill Pleasure Defended ended by bl British British Brit Brit- ish ish- Government as s Proper Regulation I I I I Continued From Page 1 measures taken laken b by his majesty's government government gov tOV- might be described as uncalled for but It Is not We Ye ma may well wish vieh that It were so Even en thou though h the military mili tar tary situation of or the allies has greatly Improved there thero Is still a long lont and bitter bitter bitter bit bit- ter struggle In front of ot them and anti one which In justice to the principles for which the they are fighting Imposes upon them the dut duty cf el employing ng ever er every opportunity opportunity op op op- and or e every measure which the they can legitimately ly use to overcome o their opponents S One observation which Is Isor or very commonly com corn heard is that certain belligerent acts even en though lawful are too potty petty to have ha any Influence In a struggle gle of ot such ma magnitude It is Is I knew w difficult for those who have ha no Immediate contact contact contact con con- tact with war to realize with wh what t painful anxiety men and women In this country must regard even the he smallest acts which tend to Increase if iC only by bya a a. h hairs hair's irs ir's breadth the danger In which their relatives relative and friends daily dally stand or to prolong If Ir ont only by a minute the period during which the they arc are to be exposed exposed ex cx- ex- ex posed to such perils Whatever Inconvenience ma may bo ho caused t to te neutral nations b by the exercise exer else cise of or belligerent rights It Is not to be compared for an Instant to the suffering suffering suffer suffer- ing and loss occasioned to mankind b by the prolongation of the war even for tor a awe we week eek ek S li h N of 01 Neutrality Permitted J In Its argument the note points out that German business houses throughout through through- ugh ugh- out th the tho world have furthered the cn cause cause so of or Germany In the war and antI have ha been a active t c agents for or the hc f I German political and social Influence and for tor the purposes of espionage i In some cases continues l th the note they have ve been used usell even as bases of or supply for German cruisers and In other cases organizers and paymasters of t miscreants employed to destroy stroy b by foul Coul means factories engaged fd in making mak nak- ing or ships engaged In carrying supplies supplies sup sup- plies required b by tho the allies Such op operations operations op- op orations have havo been carried out in the tho territory even of or the United States tates It Itself It- It self and I am bound to observe what I do not think will be denied that no I adequate action yet et has lias been taken b bj by j the government go of oC the United States to protect breaches of or neutrality of f this particular r criminal kind which I know that the they arc the first to discountenance discountenance and deplore In the face Cace of enemy activities of this nature It was as essential for his majesty's government to take lake tops stops that should at aL least deprive e interests st sq Cl strongly hostile of or the facilities an and ant all advantages ad B of unrestricted trading with British sh subjects The public opinion of or orthis this country would not have ha tolerated the prolongation of or the war by the thc continued liberty of British subjects to trade tralle with and BO so enrich the firms In foreign n countries whose wealth and in influence in- in fluence were alike aUke at the services seT of or orthe the tho cn m Legal Tho The note Is based baRed largely on the tho ar argument argument ar- ar that there is no assumption b by Great Grel t Britain of or power to interfere with neutral traders trader but that tho the blacklist is a matter mailer of oC law enjoining British subjects from trad trad- Irl ing with persons found Cound to be assisting assisting- or rendering service se to the enemy It disclaims an any Intention of ot Imposing disabilities or penalties on neutral trade I SI 1 can scarcely believe it says san that the United States government Jo intends to chall challenge nhe the ri right ht of ot Great Britain as a n. sovereign n state to pass pat legislation prohibiting all nil those who owe her al allegiance allegiance al- al from Crom trading with un any specified sped sped- fied lied persons when such prohibition is found Cound ne nece necessary essary sar In the public Interest Tho TIto right to do so is so 0 obvious that tat tatI I feel Ceel sure Mure that the protest which your our excellency has handed to me mc has bas been founded on ott a misconception of or the scope and antI Intent of ot the measures which have haYe been taken The no note to says sas the British government readily admits the contention o of th United States that neutrals have th the right to trade troie with b belligerents but that the United States Stae must also admit admit ad atI- mit the right of oC one belligerent to stop this trade by lawful l means mean as assel sel seizures ures of oC contraband or a blockade But this particular legislation it t goes goeson goeson on to Lo say is not of ot this UliM character It Is is a says the tho note an ex exercise lc of or the tho sovereign right of oC an independent cot ent st state to over Its own citizens and nothing more It Is pointed out that even firms firm In allied nations are being placed on the list where there is It reason to believe bellevo that thal British subjects should not trade with them and the assertion made that tho the measure Is not one against American Ameri Amen can trl trade In particular but a part of general belligerent operations de designed designed lie de- sh signed n d to weaken the tho enemy's re- re sources Ban Forced b by hv War nr Answering the American contention that th thero there Is serious danger to neutral commerce generally In the Brill British h ability abil It ity to extend the list where it seems expedient the note noto says that this this' is is true but that the tho American government government government govern govern- 1 ment ma may rest a assured that uil this system Ss S's tern tem of or prohibitions will not be carried further than titan Is 18 absolutely necessary It loll has been forced upon us us continues con con- the note not by the circumstances of oC the present war To 10 extend it beyond beyond be be- yond what hat Is required In order to se secure secure so- so cure Its Immediate purpose the thc the weakening weakening weak weak- weakening ening of ot tho thu resources of Mir ur opponents or or to allow lIow It to 10 with what Is really tho the genuine neutral trade oCa of ot ofa ota I I a country countr with v which we cesire to have havethe the tho closest commercial Int Intercourse would bo be contrary contra to British interests The advantage an derived from a I. I commercial commercial commercial commer commer- cial transaction between a 1 British subject subject subject sub sub- and a a. foreigner Is mutual Viscount Grey says oIa's apparently there arc are persons In the United States al almost almost at- at most impossible to convince con that Great Britain is 15 taking measures a against its enemies and not merely to tu foster its Hs own trade tr at the tho expense of ot neutrals lie denies his government O havo have such unworthy objects in view assorting asserting that in all ca cases es his government go has done lone everything possible post to cause as little dislocation of neutral commerce as possible The note not apparently admits that Britain has hag altered the position previously pro pre held lucid with tho the United States that domicile and and not nationality Is the test ten of ot en enemy m character char and argues argues ar ar- ar gues that In this war wan nationals of domiciled far from home S I may max render great aid and comfort adI admitting ad ad- bo be that these arc are sought to I reached by br the blacklist mea measure Referring to exclusion from ships I using British coal in carrying goods belonging ln to blacklisted firms the tho note argues that there can be no ItO lo legal al objection to such a refusal which is merely denying ln the use of ot British coal to carriage of goods to persons actively ac aC- ae- ae tI cly assisting assisting- Great Britain's ene erie mies inies It points to the destruction of or tonnage b by German Gelman submarines and says that If It no other factor entered red Into tho question tho tuo British coal supPly supply supply sup sup- I ply should be conserved to be certain I that there thero Is enough h for COr ships supplyIng supplying supply- supply Ing lag the Belgian relief commission Sea Sen Potter loner I Regarded us nv Discussing Discussing- the argument t that there is apprehension that pott potential control of ot transportation b by ono one nation might be used to disrupt the trade of the tho world in Its own on selfish Interests the note asserts Ills His majesty's government o therefore therefore there there- fore takes this opportunity to declare that tile they are arc not unmindful of or the tho obligations atlo ls of those who po possess gess sea power nor of oC that th traditional policy pursued by the British empire b by which such power has been regarded re as 18 a n trust and has ha been e exercised in III inthe inthe the Interests of or freedom Thc They request re rc- re- re quest no representations to r recall such considerations to mind but thc they cannot cannot cannot can can- not admit that In the tho circumstances of ot the times s their present use of oC their coal resources a use which only differs dif dlf- i fers In extent from that thai exOrcised exercised b bj by I the United States tes In the civil war J In Inthe inthe the case catle of ot vessels sels proceeding to such ports as aB Nassau is obnoxious to their I duties or their voluntary prot professions A Attention Hen Is called to Instructions to British merchants issued by Lord I Russell in regarding reg trade with the Bahamas advising that the thc true truo h remedy was to retrain refrain front from this trade trae t lBs His majesty's government o does oes not ask sk of the United States to take an aiu j such action as Us this thIM the note conclude con- con conI I eludes clude but tile they cannot believe that tho the United Stati-a Stati government o will question their right to la lay upon British Jh merchants In the Interests of ot tho the safety safety safe safe- ty h of the British marine for which th they thoy are arc responsible the same sante problems lems lenus which Lord Issued fifty years ears ago o out of ot consideration of ot the Interests and anti feelings of ot a foreign anthen na na- tion then Suspicions and antI Insinuations which would construe so simple an action as an opening for tor secret and designs on neutral rl rights should have ha no place In the rel relations between two friendly countries I trust that the le explanations contained con eon tamed d In this tills note will wili destroy such uchi suspicions anti and correct the thc erroneous views which prevail pre in the United States Stales on the tho subject |