THE "BLACK LIST" REPRISALS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2871, 8 September 1916, Page 5

THE "BLACK LIST" REPRISALS

BRITAIN AND AMERICA SENATE'S ACTION DENOUNCED

NEW ZEALAND CHIEF JUSTICE'S OPINION iiUElrallan-New Zealand Cable Association. New York, September 6. Mr. A. P. Gardner (Massachusetts), in a. speech in the House of Representatives, denounced the Senate's retaliatory legislation against the Allies' blacklist as a blow in support of Germany's ugly cause. "You hypocrites," he said, "you claim that you are devoted to humanity and despise commercialism. .Then why do you not paw an amendment refusing our harbours to Germany's interned ships until she repudiates the crime of the Lusitania? Why do you, instead, pass amendments which serve no purposo except stuffing your sordid pockots with the golden harvest of your fellow-men's misery ? [A cablegram received from New iYork yesterday stated that tho United States- Senato his retaliated against the British "Black List" by passing amendments empowering the President; when he believes the belligerents aro denying the lawful rights of Americans, "to retaliate against a belligerent commerce ship which discriminates against 'American ishippers and exporters, and also to refuse tho rights of tho United States mails, telegraphs, and cables to Citizens of belligerent countries discriminating aganst Americans." The resolution provides for tho withholding of clearances of ships of belligerents who discriminate against tho United .States, and authorises the President to use armed force if necessary to proveut tho deparfcuro of offending vessels. Tho penalty for any violation of the proposed measure is a fino of 10,000 dollars, or two years' imprisonment.]

SIR ROBERT STOUT'S VIEW OF THE CASE By Telegraph—Prem Association. Napier, September 7. , Yesterday a "Herald" reporter callted upon the Chief Justico, Sir Robert Stout, with reference to tho cable messages which have been received regarding the attitude of the United States in respect to the British "Black List." Sir Robert Stout was asked to express an opinion on the resolution which liad been passed by tho United States Sonate providing for tho withholding of clearances of ships of all belligerents who discriminate against the United States, and authorising the President to use armed force, if necessary, to prevent the departure of offending vessels. "I understand," said Sr Robert Stout, "that the 'Black List,' referred to is the list containing tlie names of certain Gorman firms in the United States, and that the British Government has prohibited British subjects from deaKng with such firms, or from importing goods from them. The United States Senate apparently desires' that if a British ship will not take on boatd goods from such firms, that .ship will he prevented from leaving _ the United 1 States. To my mindi this is nothing less tlian a declaration of war. lam not aware of any international law or rule which prevents ships from refusing to take cargo from anybody. Take a broad instance: Suppose an American vessel were at the Napier breakwater, and she was starting for San Francisco, empty, and the Napier merchants said to her—'As you are going to San Francisco, I ask you to take on board two hundred tons of hides? Could she refuse? It is an unheard of thing that she cannot refuse, yet, according to the telegrams, a British ship is not allowed to refuse cargo offered by a German-American firm in the United States. ~~The mat..ter, to, my mind, is absurd and ridiculous. I feel sure that the better class of Americans will say that this is what they call 'hot air,' issued by the American Democratic ; Party to get German votes in the. impending elections. No nation oan permit itself to be dictated to by a foreign Power with reference to goods to be carried in its ships.' If it .allowed this, it would become a vassal nation, and its freedom destroyed." . "I think," added Sir Robert Stout, "that our Government should communicate with Australia, as well as Britain at once. I should stop, for example, the, San Francisco mail service at once, so that our ships should not be forced to carry 'Black List' goods. I should also ask Australia to take up the same attitude. Further, all chambers of commerce in the Dominion should meet and pasi; resolutions declaring that sooner than submit to British shipping carrying 'Black List' goods they would cease ordering goods from America. Wo in New Zealand are importing goods of great value from the United States. This ought to cease instantly, and all our orders for goods from the United States should be cancelled. If Britain and her colonies, and France and Russia, all do the same thing, we should hear very little from the Senate about .'Black List' goods. Here is a nation that has seen the Hague Convention Rules, to which it has been a party, spurned and abrogated by Germany. She has had her own citizens murdered in more than one passenger vessel. She has witnessed atrocities in Belgium and France, against British prisoners in Germany, and Armenia, and Poland, and now, because some of her citizens, of German extraction,. arc not allowed to sell goods to Britain, she. threatens Britain with war, for the resolution which has been passed by the Senate means nothing else. lam amazed at such a resolution being passed. I feel sure that our people ought to resolve that whatever steps the Government may take they will no longer take 'American goods: • If they are true • patriots they will so act.". UNCLE SAM'S "PACIFIC MAIL-BAGS San Francisco, September 6. It is reported that instructions havo been received from Washington that j American Army transports in futuro aro to carry American-mails to Manila and China. Previously much of tho mail was carried by Japanese and British boats via Vancouver. It is believed that the objeot is to avoid tho consorship. Washington officials aro reticent. [It was reported yesterday that United' States warships and transports have been authorised to carry German mails to the Far 'East to prevent tho possibility of Britisli interference.] Oteutor's Telegram.) (Rec. September 8, 0.10 a.m.)' Washington, September 7. The State officials admit that transports are carrying tho mails to Manila, but deny that they intend to carry them to China. SUNK WITH AMERICANS ON BOARD Australian-New Zealand Co.bio Association. Washington, September G. The British steamer Kolvinia, which was sunk by a mino or a torpedo, on Septombor 2, was en route from Nowport Nows to Glasgow with twentyeight Americans on board. All wcro saved and landed at Glasgow. The United States_ Department of State is making inquiries into the occurrence, .