CONTRABAND CONTROL

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20915, 21 September 1939, Page 7

CONTRABAND CONTROL

SUCCESS OF BRITISH BLOCKADB LEGALITY OF ITS ACTION GERMAN EFFORTS FAIL (Official Wireless) (Received Sept. 21, 11.0 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 20 The attempts of German propaganda to represent .exercise of contrabrand control now In force as an invasion ol' the rights of neutrals have failed in tlie countries most intimately concerned. Control of contrabrand does not constitute a formal blockade but is selective in its action, affecting only certain classes of goods reaching the enemy directly or through neutral countries.

Further, a blockade is lawful only if it is effective—the passage across a blockading line must be rendered virtually impossible or highly danger-

Cqntrabrand control, on the contrary, may be lawfully exercised by a belligerent to such an extent, great or small, as his means allow.

The legality of the action is not dependent on the ability to hold up and examine all vessels carrying goods to an enemy destination.

Again, the penalty for a breach of the blockade is the conllscatipn of the ship, and in most cases of the cargo which in any case would not toe allowed to proceed.

The Dally Telegrr-?h says: “Wa may be confident thet It will be possible before long to restrict imports as severely as in 1918 and with the goodwill of all the civiliead world."