The age-herald., 1902-04-06
PRINCE HENRY LIKED HIS
 DUCK COOKED WELL DONE

Berlin. April 5.-GeneraI von Trotha, asked, at dinner party, what he really thought of Prince Henry's visit to the United States. said:
 'I have been to entertainments at the principal courts of Europe ana have never seen such luxury and good taste as at the series of banquets and receptions in America Nowhere is there such an ex- quisite cuisine.''
 Referring to American dishes, the gen eral said none of the party liked canvas bacA duck. because 1t was served al- most red, but Prince Henry ordered it at @~->-<<<<<<<-<<<<- the exercise of the usual civil means of preserving the peace, in the improbable event of its breach in the manner sup posed to be suggested by Pearson. I can not believe that the latter contemplates taking the law into his own hands in de- fiance of the state and federal govern ments; nor does he threaten to act with out the Presidents permission, which 1t is needless to say, he will not receive. Nor can I believe that he expects any such permission. His object is doubtless to bring forcibly to the attention of the government that he considers the pro- ceedings of the British equivalent to carrying on war upon our territory.
 The attorcny general cays that the prin- cipal question and a delicate one Is whether there mas been a departure of neutrality on the part of our government in this matter and notwithstanding the urgency of Pearson and Governor Heard, thinks this government should not take any action without mature consideration by the President and his advisers." He submits some tentative suggestions:
 Some Suggestions.
 First. He says the sale of contraband of war supplies to a beiligerent Is held by many eminent authorities to be unlawful and something which neutral nation must forbid to its citizens but the weight of authority is the other way. A rule of law now fully agreed upon is that neutral nation shall not give aid to one of the belligerents in the carrying on of war. Carrying on com merce with belligerent in the matter usual before the war is not giving such aid. The mere increased de- mand for warlike articles and their in- creased quantity in this commerce does not seem to be settled that the fact that the belligerent as purchaser makes the neutral governments permission of the commerce departure from the obligation to give no aid to the belligerent. The fact that neutral merchants give aid to the belligerents from motives of gain seeking does not relieve their government from its obligation to prevent. otherwise 1t would be lawful to supply war ships with coal cannon and powder. The diff ficulty lies in drawing the line between the right of carrying on and of govern mental permission to carry on the com merce usual before the war and the obli- gation upon the government and citizens Of the neutral government to give no aid to the belligerents
 The attorney general adverts at some length to the difficulty of disposing of these cases, each different from the other, and without exact precedent and he falls back upon the principle recognized in in ternational law that the preponderant character case must control the determ- nation of precedents and says in con- cluSion
 There Are No Precedents.
 While discussions of sucb ro.++o., have, as in the Alabama claims case principally concerned war vessels and ex- petitions by sea, it cannot be doubted that aid given to any army engaged in actual warfare stands upon the same footing as aid given to a fleet so engaged since both equally involve a taking part by the neutral power in furthering the
 
 Nor do the municipal laws of England and the United States or of other coun- tries, by particularly dealing with such vessels and expeditions, observe the fact that aid can as well be given to military operations of the belligerent the one way as the other by proceedings carried on upon the neutral territory.
 From all that has been said I think that it may be concluded that in deter | mining whether a transaction of the kind referred to, which in one respect is com mercial in character, is not yet entitled to enjoy the rights belonging to com merce, but is prohibited to the neutral | nation and It's people as being an aid to enc of the belligerents in carrying on war against the other; the criteria are practically impossible to specify and enumerate in advance. Each case that | arises must be considered in all It's cir cumstances and determined accordingly.
 No Statement of Fact. 'In the case before us there Is no state- | ment of facts by you upon which to give