New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-25
ANOTHER PEACE CONGRESS
Doubling the Marine Leag"e-A
Protectorate of Neutral Commerce.
London, September 16.


has been defining for me the objects for which
another peace congress can be summoned by
President Roosevelt next spring. THESE are;
First, the doubling of the marine league OF
jurisdiction the coast sea; second, an
agreement among maritime powers respecting
contraband of war, and, third the exemption
OF all private property, not contraband OF war;
from capture or destruction by belligeTents The
first two points he considers entirely practicable
and Of the highest utility, while the third Is the
logical sequel to the humane and beneticent
policy advocated by the American government
since the Declaration of Paris and the agreement
with italy respecting the inviolabty of private
property IN time of war. A programme OF this
nature will be- in my informants opinion. the
natural outcome of a war waged virtually for
the command of the Pacific, the integrity OF
China and the maintenance OF the open door
principle and the President has the prestige and
moral authorily requisite for eonvoking an in
ternational assembly and securing the incorpora-
ton of these grea: policies in the permanent law
Of the civilized world
The three-mile limit has become incongruous
when the effective range Of modern artillery ex-
ceeds seven miles The natural limit of terri
torial Jurisdiction on the border of a coast sea
is the low water line, and If there has been an
extension of local authority over a belt of water
three miles in width it has been justified by the
necessities Of coast defence and the protection
OF fisheries and private and public property. By
the comfy Of nations this exclusive jurisdiction
IS universally recognized, and immunity from
acts of bellgerency is guaranteed within this
strip Of coast sea; but with the increased range
Of modern artillery a broader zone is indis-
pensable for shore defence and customs and
fisheries regulation. The three-nile limit ceases
to be an adequate safeguard when battleships
oar h0JoI ND .
over seven miles. The doubling Of the zone,
within which acts of belligerency are contrary
to the law of nations, is essential for the pro-
lection of coast inhabitants. Some maritime
nations have already assumed limited juris-
dlctfon over six or seven miles Of coast sea in
their revenue and municipal laws but these
claims are not sanctioned by international prac-
tice. Another congress at The Hague can
| double the marine belt for defensive purposes.
| and it will be a genuine peace measure for the
protection of every maritime nation.
Tbs broadening Of the marine belt of terri
torial jurisdiction will revive discussion re-
specting the method Of measuring It, whether
from lines between headlands or from the sin
| uosities of the coast; and good many awkward
| questions of fishing rights would arise; but
these difficulties are capable of adjustment in
| a representative international assembly Prac-
| tice is not uniform in determining local juris-
diction over territorial waters under the three
! mile regulation; and the claims of nations are
acqutesced in by their neighbors and rivals IN
| a spirit OF accommodation. With the doubling
of the belt closer approach to common stand
ards Of measurement and action might be made
and this would be great gain. The chief argu-
ment for the removal of the anomaly of a three
mile safeguard when the range Of modern ar
tIery requires seven-nnile limit is the defence
Of exposed ports, and especially the entrances
of interoceanic waterways. Sea, power may be
the only effective agency for guarding the ap-
| proaches of neutral waters in time of war; but
| the security of commerce will be materially in
creased, if the zone where belligerent operations
| are excluded be broadened A waterway like
the Panama Canal will be safe during period
of hostilities because its neutrality is guaran-
teed by the American government whose fleets
will be there to protect it, but the broader is
the zone of secure approach and anchorage at
each end. the fewer will be the risks of interna-
tional complications. At Panama. at Suez, a
seven~mile limit will be safeguard of increased
efficiency for the unmolested passage of COM
merce.
Even more important than this extension of
territorial jurisdiction is authoritative CLASH
dcation of contraband of The Declaration
of Paris exempted from capture neutral goods
neutral flag: but this immunity from seizure
and confscation is nullifed by the practice Of
having every government instruct it's naval
commanders and regulate its prize courts. and
decide for itself what constitutes contraband
of war and when a blockade Is effective. When
ever there is maritime the marine under
writer's act as though there were no protectorate
over neutral commerce. and merchants and
shippers compelled to pay exorbitant pre-
rniums for the insurance of legal and innocent
cargoes. So long as the definitions of contra
band differ and every government is licensed to
arrange its own scheme Of classification COM
| nerce must remain paralyzed and helpless dur
ing every war between maritime powers.
| peace congress can render the world a service
Of inestimabe value by bringing about an
agreement on the subject of contraband of war.
Mr. Fields proposal that private prop
erty Of any person whatsoever, and public prop
ertv of a neutral nation, should regarded
| contraband of war when consisting of articles
| manufactured for. and primarily used for, mill
| tary purposes in time of war and actually des
tined for the use of the hostile nation, but not
| otherwise. This definition may be too compre-
hensve; but 1t illustrates, not perhaps the pre-
else principle which may be established at The
Hague but at least the uniform practice which
may be introduced by international agreement.
If there were a definite understanding on the
rule Of contraband. to be interpreted and APP
piled by the tribunals of a begerent State.
shipowners and merchants would know where
they stand and not expose themselves blindly
to the irresponsible operations Of cruisers.
The world is not ready for either disarmament
or compulsory arbitration; but it is eager and
impatient to have the losses and damages sus-
tanned by peaceable neutral commerce reduced
to the lowest possible points during every period