TRADE OF NEUTRALS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 147, 18 December 1915, Page 5

TRADE OF NEUTRALS

DOES IT AFFECT OUR SEA POWER ? DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS (Received December JB, 8.15 aim.) m, t, --n • t,-,, ■ * LONDON, 17th December. Iho Enemy Companies Bill passed the Committee Stage in the House of Lord Lansdowne intimated that the Government would not participate in a discussion, believing that the Bill did not go- as far as the existing law He had been assured that Germany and Austria had not taker steps to prevent British companies registered there from carrying on business _ Lord Strachie asked whether the trading agreement permitted Denmark to import; food and other goods and re-eport them to neutral or belligerent countries. He urged the Government to produce the secret agreement. Lord Portsmouth said that a suspicion, amounting to indignation had been aroused in the country, that something was being done to tamper' with the effective force of our sea power. He had seen a draft agreement which allowed Denmark to re-export a long list of goods to Norway and Sweden The agents in these country, probably, were German, or traders interested in Germany. The agreement gave Denmark preferential treatment against America If the agreement weakened the Navy's pressure, if was treachery to the country- . ' Lord Devonport said the Government, by a series of indulgences, prevented the enemy feeling the full consequence of the blockade. Lord Lansdowne said the Government still adhered to the belief that it was undesirable to reveal the agreement, which does not interfere with the carrying out of the war to a successful conclusion. The object of the agreement was to make the blockade work as efficiently and smoothly as possible, ilie Government was prepared to enter into a corresponding agreement with other neutral countries. It would bo unfortunate if the country were to bo confronted with the resentment and ilhvill of those neutrals. Speaking seriously and with unusual emphasis. Lord Lansdowne said : "The agreement gives us advantages in carrying on the war, and is similar to the agreement with the associations in Switzerland and the Netherlands. It contains nothing touching, our belligerent rights to search and capture. The procedure was in* fimtely better than trying to limit the export to neutrals to their normal consumption. Denmark was peculiarly exposed geographically to pressure from Germany, and Danish traders were exposed to the temptation of vast profits If a neutral country was importing excessively, we were helpless if the sliip's papers were in order and there was no proof of ensmy destination. There is corruption on every hand, and a working arrangement with neutrals is therefore indispensable." The debate was adjourned. T ~ „ en . LONDON, 17th December, in the Mouse ot Commons Sir John Simon (Home Secretary) announced that the .Government was going to introduce a separate Bill to deal with enemy trading in Britain. It would be confined to trade with foreign parts, but a separate Bill would be introduced to deal with similar cases in the Dominions.