BLACK LIST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11764, 31 July 1916, Page 5

BLACK LIST.

AMERICAN INDIGNATION.

STRONG PROTEST TO Wim.

Australian and N.Z. C&blr Association. (Received Julv 37 a.m.) LONDON, July 30. TSbe Press Bureau publishes aa American Note on the British Black List and expresses painful surprise at the arbitrary interference with neutral trade, against which America must protest in the most decided terms. The Note complains of the harsh and even disastrous effects of the Black - List policy, which is susceptible to so wide an application that the possibilities art> serious and may lead to incalculable interruptions of American . .trade, and it is understood that the injury to American cHizens may to limitless. The British measures aro essentially inconsistent with neutral rights and American citizens are entirely within their rights in attempting to trade with belligerents, subject only to well-de-fined international practices and understandings, which tho American Government considers the British Government has over-lightly and over-fre-quently disregarded. The Black List brushes aside safeguards of neutral I rights and condemns neutrals and their goods without hearing or notice. It is manifestly out of the question for the American Government to acquiesce in a practice inconsistent with justice, amity and fairness. It doe** not seek to shield Americans for acts that are not neutral, but the British Government cannot expect it to see citizens placed on an ex-parte black list without calling tho attention of the British Government in the gravest - terms to the serious consequences to neutral rights and regulations which. such an act must necessarily involve. The Note expresses a hope and believes that the British Government io the natural absorption in the single pressing object of Britain's policy, acted without realising the undesirable re» v suits which were possible.