BRITISH ARGUMENT

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 100, 22 January 1940, Page 8

BRITISH ARGUMENT

Interpretation Of Hague Convention (British Official Wireless.) (Received January 21, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, January 20. Britain's reply to the United States Note on the subject of Hie examination by the British censorship authorities of certain United States mails has been communicated to the United States Charge d’Affaires in London. The reply states that substantial agreement exists between Britain and the United States regarding the rights of censorship of terminal mails, and that the only point of difference seems to be in the interpretation of Hie Hague Convention regarding correspondence in ships diverted into British ports. Britain’s view on this point is that the immunity conferred by article one of the Hague Convention, which anyway does not cover postal parcels, is enjoyed only by genuine postal correspondence aud a belligerent has, therefore, the right to examine mail bags to assure himself of the genuineness of their contents. Britain regards this view as established by precedent in the last -war when none of the belligerents accepted the view that the Hague Convention absolutely prohibited the censorship of mail bags and the right of search was regarded as including Hie full examination of mail. The United States iu 1!)16 admitted in principle this right. The reply also points out that letter as well as parcel post can be used to convey contraband, such as moneyorders, cheques and securities, and that, even though addressed to neutral countries, their ultimate destination may be Germany.