ENEMY GOODS

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 85, 10 April 1917, Page 2

ENEMY GOODS

TO tBS EDITOtI.

Sir,—There has been a.good deal said ■as to the best means to stop enemy importations after the war, some relying on patriotism and the natural horror of our enemies which their bestial war methods have inspired. Unfortunately patriotism, has not, so far, been strong enough to stop the ( saleof enemy" goods, and I fear it will never do so, so long as, big profits are possible. I venture in all modesty, to suggest a method which I'think would deal effectually with the case:—Compel every commercial traveller to be licensed by the Government of the country in which lie travels, and make it'a penal offence to travel with samples or -goods without such license; the license to be initially approved by the Customs Department of each country;. such license to be produced on demand by any Customs or police officer; "before, issuing any license the head of the Customs Department in every case to be satisfied as tothe bona fides, nationality, and character of every person licensed; the penalty far misrepresentation or evasion to be sufficiently heavy tomake it-unprofitable to attempt to do ''cronfe" business; serious offences to be punishable by imprisonment 1 without option; > the licence foe to be small; the object being to identify and register all and sundry doing business, in this, or any other British country, and to obtain, a full description of the goods offered for sale;, copies of registration to be inter-changeable between all British possessions; any trader convictred of selling forbidden goods "to be co heavily fin.cd that it vrill not- pay him to repeat the offence, and in serious cases, impriscnnient without option to be imposed.. Finally, a certain time should, in fairness, be allowed traders to get rid of present stocks, after which such stocks should be seized and sold by the Customs Departments.—l am, etc.,

BRITISHER.