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Show WARRING NATIONS " AREGIVENWARN1NG AMERICANS INSIST UPON AN IMPROVEMENT IM-PROVEMENT IN TREATMENT OF AMERICAN COMMERCE. Representations Made in Friendly Spirit, But Notice is Given That Patience of This Country Coun-try is Exhausted. Washington. The United States government on Monday dispatched a long note to Great Britain, insisting on an early improvement in the treatment treat-ment of American commerce by the British fleet. It gave warning that much feeling had been aroused in this country and that public criticism was general over the unwarranted interference inter-ference with the legitimate foreign trade of the United States. The document, constituting the strongest representation on this subject sub-ject made by the United States to any of the belligerents since the outbreak out-break of the war, was caU'ed to Ambassador Am-bassador Page, to ba formally presented pre-sented to Sir Edward Grey, bntish foreign secretary. Its preparation was begun a month ago by Solicitor Cone Johnson, Counsellor Robert Lansing and Secretary Bryan, and finally had the personal attention of President Wilson, who reviewed its phraseology with minute care. As the detailed point of view of the United States in numerous cases in which cargoes had been seized was set forth in emphatic protests, most of which have gone unheeded, the communication was couched in general gen-eral terms, including the entire subject sub-ject of the relations between the United Unit-ed States and Great Britain, as affected affect-ed by the latter's naval policy, considered con-sidered highly objectionable by this government. Since France has adopted practically practical-ly the same decrees on contraband as has Great Britain, the note is virtually virtual-ly a statement intended for all the members of the triple entente. The note declares at the outset that the representations are made in a friendly spirit, hut the United States considers it best to speak in terms of frankness, lest silence be construed as acquiescence in a policy which is violating the rights of American Amer-ican citizens under the laws of nations. na-tions. The document points out that complaints com-plaints on every side and public criticism criti-cism in the United States hold the British policy as directly responsible for the depression in many American industries, a situation the seriousness of which must be apparent to Great Britain. Reimbursement alone for cargoes unlawfully detained or seized, it states, does not remedy the evil, as the chief difficulty is the moral effect ef-fect of British practice on American exporters, who are restrained by it from taking risks or hazards which in no case ought to surround legitimate legiti-mate trade between the United States and other neutral countries. Feeling has been aroused on the subject to such extent, the statement adds, that the American government has been compelled to ask for definite information informa-tion as to Great Britain's attitude in order that it may take such measures as will protect American citizens in their rights. |