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Show PROTEST IS BEING PREPARED BY THE ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON, July 26. President Wilson and1 state department officials practically have completed preparation of a protest against the promulgation of a blacklist of American firms under the, British trading with the enemy act. It was said today that the communication would be sent to London in the near future, probably within the next few days. It will discuss the principles involved and will not interfere with the continuance of informal discussions between representatives represen-tatives of the two governments over the cases of Individual firms included in the blacklist. Acted for Allies. State department officials believe that their study of the blacklist clearly has proved that it injures American lirms in violation of International law. Acting Secretary Polk talked over with President Presi-dent Wilson today facts laid before him by the firms affected, and the precedents on which the United States will act. When' tlie principles involved are taken up with the British government it is expected ex-pected that issue will be taken with France, Russia and Italy. It Is under-( stood here that in announcing its blacklist black-list Great Britain really acted in deference defer-ence to her allies, who felt that their own merchants were suffering and some British Brit-ish merchants were profiting through failure of the London government to follow fol-low the lead of the continental powers in making Indiscriminate war upon all of their enemies, commercial as well as military, and upon those located in neutral neu-tral countries as well as those resident in Germany and Austria-Hungary. Probable Reply. Ttie allies' view of the legal aspects of the blacklist order, which probably will be the basis of the parliamentary statement state-ment to be issued soon in London and lie incorporated In the reply to the American protect, is understood to be as follows: "The allies agreed to enforce international interna-tional law against their enemies and upon all their subjects without distinction. distinc-tion. The continental rule applied by Germany, France. Italy and Russia Interprets Inter-prets the word 'enemy' as a person of enemv origin or int erest. English and American precedents put the emphasis on domicile. Consequently, British subjects sub-jects have considered they could trade with any enemy rirm domiciled in a neutral neu-tral country." |