CO129-435 - Governor Sir May & Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1916 [9-11] — Page 243

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The existence of

were indifferent on the subject. this organised attempt on the part of the enemy to induce neutral Governments to exercise pressure on His Majesty's Government to relax the censorship, is in itself a strong proof, if one were needed, of the damage which the censorship is causing to enemy interests while the alacrity with which the enemy seizes upon any channel of communication left open to him, and the method and ingenuity with which he exploits it for belligerent purposes proves incontestably the need of a complete and through censorship of all enemy corres-

pondence.

In conclusion, I am to express the hope that in view of the vital necessity of using to the fullest possible extent the Allies' undoubted belligerent

rights in regard to the censorship of mails, immediate steps may be taken to explain fully to the United States Ambassador in this country and to the State Department in Washington the allied point of view and give them clearly to understand that the utmost limit of concession that can be made to American opinion is to expedite the censorship in every possible way and to forward genuine and innocent private correspondence as soon as its character has been definitely established. The Council feel convinced that, in no other way, consistent with the vital interests of the Allies, can a mischievous agitation of German origin be prevented from assuming

dangerous proportions.

I am,

sir,

Your obedient Servant,