Contraband

articles in which international law forbids traffic during a time of war. A neutral nation is forbidden for instance, to sell either party to a war guns, ammunition, soldiers' clothing, or the like. If a merchant undertakes to supply these articles he does so at his own risk. The flag of his country does not protect him. A British or an American ship, endeavoring to carry contraband goods to the Japanese or to the Russians during the late war between these peoples, did so at the risk of the owner. Quite a number of ships were captured and confiscated. During the Civil War the Union troops were puzzled to know what disposition to make of slaves who came into their lines. The war was ostensibly for the preservation of the Union--not to free slaves. General B. F. Butler refused to return the slaves to their Southern masters on the ground that they were "contraband of war." This position had a good legal basis, since the Confederates used the negroes to build fortifications, raise food for the armies in the field, and as teamsters and laborers for the armies. At the same time, the chief value of this use of the phrase was in the excuse it provided for not surrendering the fugitives. The term "contraband" was taken up by the newspapers and it clung to the colored people until the war closed.