Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-07
THE ALLEGED BRITISH CAN'T.

THE BRITISH CAN'T.
The prompt action of President Roose-
welt in ordering an investigation as to
the statement of the governor of Louis
lana that a British military camp ex-
state, and in requesting an opinion from
the attorney general OF the United states
regarding the points Of law involved,
will be very generally accepted as
proper and satisfactory. There are
some who insist that our government
has not observed strict neutrality in
allowing the British to buy horses and
mules in this country and ship them to
South Africa for military purposes. They
contend that these supplies for the
British army are contraband and that
1t is the duty of the government to pre-
vent their shipment from our ports.
The state department holds, on the con
trary, that the purchase and shipment
OF horses and mules for use in war Is
entirely lawful, that so long as the
shipments are confined to these supplies
and the port from which the shipments
are made is not made the point of de-
parture of a naval or military expedi-
ton, there is no warrant for interior
ence even IL the supplies are bought
directly by the British government.
This view is undoubtedly based on
the long-established principle. declared
early in our history and always main
tanned, that it is the right of American
citizens to sell munitions of war to all
persons, "to insurgents as well as to
the regularly constituted authorities"
and that such munitions may be car
ried in vessels on the high seat without
liability to question from any other
party" Thomas jefferson, when seCre-
tary Of state, said: "Our citizens have
always beer free to make, vend and ex-
port arms. 1t is the constant occupation
and livelihood of some of them. To sup
press their callings, the only means per-
haps of their subsistence, because a
war exists in foreign and distant coun-
tries, in which we have no concern,
would scarcely be expected. 1t would
be hard in principle and impossible in
practice. The law of nations, therefore,
respecting the rights of those at peace,
does not require from them such an
internal arrangement of their occupa-
tions.'' This seems to be relevant in
the present case, for II our people have
the right to sell arms and munitions of
war to whoever will buy them,-that Is,
to either or both parties to a warmly
not also horses and mules? In his opin-
ion the attorney general says: "a rule
of law now fully agreed upon is, that
a neutral nation shall not give aid to
one Of the ~belligerents in the carrying
on Of war. Carrying on m with
a b~elligerent in the usual be
fore the war is not giving such aid.
The mere increased demand for war
like articles and their increased guam
tity in the m does not make that
commerce cease to be the same as be-
fore the war" Still the attorney gen.
eral implies that there may be condi-
lions in the present case which would
require the government, in observance
of its obligation not to aid a belligerent,
to interfere.
The investigation ordered by the presi,
dent will disclose whether or not such
circumstances exist. 1t is needless to
say that If it shall be shown that there
is a British camp at Chalmette and that
the statements regarding it made by the
governor of Louisiana are correct, the
administration will not hesitate to deal
with the matter in a way that would
have the approval Of the country. Such
a thing would not be given the slightest
liberation.