[Enclosure 1 in Circular despatch dated 25th September, 1916.]
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ECONOMIC CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIES
HELD AT PARIS ON JUNE 14, 15, 16 AND 17, 1916.
(Translation.)
ECONOMIC CONFERENCE OF THE ALLIES.
1.
The representatives of the Allied Governments have met at Paris under the presi- dency of M. Clémentel, Minister of Commerce, on June 14, 15, 16 and 17, 1916, for the purpose of fulfilling the mandate given to them by the Paris Conference of March 28, 1916, of giving practical expression to their solidarity of views and interests, and of pro- posing to their respective Governments the appropriate measures for realising this soli- darity.
II
They declare that after forcing upon them the military contest in spite of all their efforts to avoid the conflict, the Empires of Central Europe are to-day preparing, in con- cert with their Allies, for a contest on the economic plane, which will not only survive the re-establishment of peace, but will at that moment attain its full scope and intensity.
III.
They cannot therefore conceal from themselves that the agreements which are being prepared for this purpose between their enemies have the obvious object of establishing the domination of the latter over the production and the markets of the whole world and of imposing on other countries an intolerable yoke.
In face of so grave a peril the Representatives of the Allied Governments consider that it has become their duty, on grounds of necessary and legitimate defence, to adopt and realise from now onward all the measures requisite on the one hand to secure for themselves and for the whole of the markets of neutral countries full economic indepen- dence and respect for sound commercial practice, and on the other hand to facilitate the organisation on a permanent basis of their economic alliance.
For this purpose the Representatives of the Allied Governments have decided to submit for the approval of those Governments the following resolutions:
A.
MEASURES FOR THE WAR PERIOD.
I.
The laws and regulations prohibiting trading with the enemy shall be brought into
accord.
For this purpose:
A.—The Allies will prohibit their own subjects and citizens and all persons resid-
ing in their territories from carrying on any trade with:---
1. The inhabitants of enemy countries whatever their nationality.
2. Enemy subjects wherever resident.
3. Persons, firms and companies whose business is controlled wholly or partially by enemy subjects or is subject to enemy influence and whose names are included in a special list.
B.-They will prohibit the importation into their territories of all goods originating
in or coming from enemy countries.