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involves some loss to private citizens and perhaps even some detriment to American commercial interests, it is essential, in the Council's opinion, to take some steps to allaythe irritation that results. effect this object, it seems necessary in the first place to explain clearly to the American people the The military necessity for the action being taken. value of the censorship of mails both as a means of preventing information from reaching the enemy, and of obtaining information useful to the Allies, can scarcely be exaggerated. It is only necessary to say that, largely through its means, two serious enemy plots hatched in the United States and endangering the safety of the British Empire have been discovered and frustrated. The failure to censor these mails in the future would leave to the enemy a means of organizing with impunity rebellion in British territory and disorder and outrage in neutral countries, and might involve the United States Government in claims for
compensation of a very serious nature.
It should also be explained that censorship is ineffective unless all channels of enemy communication are controlled: if one were left open, all that would best repay examination would escape the censorship by
The enemy has being despatched by that route. endeavoured to organize his postal communication by neutral ships that touch at no Allied port, expressly
In one instance ith a view to evading the censorship. at least he is known to have started a new steamship
line for this very purpose.
It should, further, be impressed upon the United States Government that the value of the censor-
ship as an instrument for suppressing enemy trade and enforcing the blockade is second only to that of the
Navy/
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