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Show I WILL NOT ENDURE I SEIZURES OF MAILS H UNITED STATES NOTIFIES ENG H LAND AND FRANCE THAT LAW. LESS PRACTICES MUST STOP. B fn Note Couched In Vigorous Terms B the Entente Powers Are Warned B. That Only Radical Change Will B Satisfy Americans B Washington. Tho United Stntcs, B denouncing Interference with neutral B mails, has notified Great Drltaln and B France Hint It can no longer tolcrnto B tho wrongs which Anierlcnn citizens B hnve suffered and continue to differ B through tho "lawless practlco" those B governments hnve Indulged In, mid fl that only n radical change In policy, B- restoring the United States to Its full B rlghlH as u noutral power, will bo sat- B4 isfactory. B This notification Is given In tho Int- B cot American communication to the B two governments, tho text of wjilcb B was made public by tho stttto depart B incut May 27. Tho tlmo In which the B change must bo effected 1b not spccl- B bed, but tho Unltod States expects B prompt action. B "Onerous nnd vexatious" abuses B which havo boon perpetrated by the B British and French governments in B seizing and censoring neutral made B nro recited In tho communication, nnd B answers nro mado to tho legal nrgu- B ancntB contained In tho reply of the B cntcnto governments to yio first B American noto on tho subject. It is B vfgorously sot forth that not only B Anierlcnn commercial Interests havo B been Injured, but rights of property B havo been violated and tho rules ol B International law and custom palpa- B. bly disregarded. Notlco Is sorved B that tho Unltod Stntcs will soon press B claims against tho British and Fronch B governments for tho lossos which nl- B ready havo been sustalnod. B "Tho governments of tho United B States, Great Britain nnd Franco np- B pear to bo in substantial agreement B its to principle," the noto says. "Tho B method of applying the prlnclplo 1b B tho chief cause of difference. B "Tho government of tho United B States must ngaln Insist wtlh emphn B els that tho British and French gov B ornments do not obtain rightful juris B diction of ships by forcing or inducing B them to visit their ports for tho pur B. pose of seizing their mails, or thereby B obtain greater belligerent rights as to B such Bhlps than they could oxcrclso B on tho high seas; for thoro !s, in tho B opinion of tho government of tho Bw ' iTmnoirstnteBrno'loKnl dlnttncUon fco B twecn tho aolzurcs of malls nt sen, B which is nnuounced as abandoned, B- and their seizure from vessels volun H tnrlly or Involuntarily in port. Tho B British nnd French practlco amounts B to an unwarranted, limitation of tho B use by neutrals of the world's high B -way for tho transmission of corns B epondencc. B After detailing Instances of damago B aufferod by Americans becauao of tho B detention of malls, the noto concludes B as follows: B "Tho government of tho United B "States and other neutral countries and B ods employed by tho British nnd B French authorities In interrupting B tnnilB passing between tho United B- tSatos nnd other neutral countries nnd B between tho Unltod States and tho on B cmlos of Groat Britain, can no longer B tolerato tho wrongs which citizens of B tho United States suffer nnd contlnuo B to suffer through theso methods. To B submit to a lawless practlco of this B charnctor would open tho door to ro- B vented violations of International law B by the bolllgcront powers on tho B f-rouud of military necessity of which B tho violator would bo tho solo judge. B Manifestly a neutral nation cannot B Iicrmtt it'! rights on tho high seas to B Ibo determined by tho bolllgerents or B tho exercise of thoso rights to bo per B mitted or denied arbitrarily by tho B govommeut or a warring nation. Tho B rights of neutrals nro as sacred as tho j rights or tho belligerents and must bo B us strictly observed. B "The government of tho United M Stales, t-onndent In tho regard for in M tcrnntlonal law nnd tho rights of B neutrals which tho British and French j governments have so often proclaimed j and tho disregard of which they have B urged so vigorously against tholr on B emlcs in tho present war, oxpocts tho H present practice of tho British and H -French authorities In the treatment of H malls from or to tho United States to H censo and belligerent rights, as exor- H clsod, to conform to tho prlnclplo gov H ornlng tho passage of mall inattor und H to the recognized practlco of nations, j Only a radical chango in tho present H Urltish and Frencli policy, restoring B to tho United States its full rights as I ft neutral power, will sutisry this gov H eminent." |