MAIL CENSORSHIP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1940, Page 5

MAIL CENSORSHIP

STRONG AMERICAN PROTEST TO BRITAIN INVIOLABILITY CLAIMED ON HIGH SEAS. OBJECTION TO PRESENT PRACTICE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day. 10.0 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 2. A United States Note to Britain protesting against interference with American mails listed four instances of seizure, affecting 12;>0 sacks addressed to Germany and to neutrals. Tim Note stated that the United Stales readily admitted the right, of Britain to censor mail originating in or destined for the _ Uniled Kingdom, or mail which normally passes through the United Kingdom lor transmission to its final, destination, but could not admit a right to interfere with American mail on the high seas.

It cited the Hague Convention as recognising that the mail of neutrals and belligerents is inviolable on the high seas and contended that the rule obtained for mail on ships which were required by the British authorities to put into a British port. The Note added that the United States Government regarded the practice of taking mail from vessels induced to call at British control bases as “particularly objectionable.” It concluded: ’The United States Government feels compelled to make a vigorous protest against these practices and expresses the hope that it will receive early assurances that they are being discontinued.”