Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-20

belligerents were each unwilling that the
others should be able to trade in contra
band.
General Davis pointed out the difficulty
that confronted England and America in
restricting contraband trade because Of the
practice of allowing the greatest freedom
of business occupation to the citizens, while
the continental European powers, with their
more highly concentrated and centralized
| systems. could easily impose restrictions
upon the commercial activityso of their sub
jects. To abolish contraband of war would
be to deprive the belligerent OF the right
to protect himself from injury by reason of
the warlike material which the enemy has
succeeded In obtaining from neutral
| sources.
Duty of NeutraIs,
Sooner or later. he said, the belllgerent
would, with great reason, demand that the
neutral states should charge themselves
| with the burden Of preventing export trade
in contraband to a belligerent destination
in time OF war. He said the abolition OF the
distinction Of coptraband of war would not
bring to neutral trade the relief from war
hoped for, so long as the right OF blockade
continued to exist along with the right Of
maritime search and capture. 1t would,
however. restrict the maritime area In
which searches and captures are habitually
made, but without any diminution of the
rigor with which they were now exercised.
General Davis referred to the difference
between England and the continental pow
| ers in the matter of possibilities of a block
ade, pointing out that owing to its insular
situation, while the other European powers
had land boundaries with other states,
England was the one state which might be
really effectively blockaded.
In conclusion he said:
The beneficent operation of the declara-
ton of Paris has done much to mitigate the
| capture; and the practice of belligerents in
| Tefraining from exercising their conceded
| OF the belligerents activity has done still
| more to bring into being such Immunity
! from capture and annoyance as 10 now en-
| loved by neutral commerce in time OF war.
! And It Is in this direction. that is. in ex-
| tending the area of neutral immunity and
| in restricting the activity OF belligerents 10
| the theater OF actual naval hostilities,
that we must seek for the Immunity immunity 9 0t
/ reference in time OF public war.
| Admiral Resent Charge.
Rear Admiral Stockton of the United
States navy resented what he termed a
charge Of piracy" made by Everett P.
Wheeler Of New York City, who in an ad-
dress criticised the conduct Of American
naval officers in capturing ship load OF
noncombatants In the siege OF Santiago,
during the spanish-American war. The ad-
miral made a strong defense of his brother
| officers.
Papers were read by Admiral Stockton,
Charles Cheney Hyde; professor of inter-
national law in Northwestern university
Chicago, and Everett p Wheeler on the
question, Would immunity from capture
during war OF nonohfending private property
upon the high seas be in the interest Of
| civilzation9"
In the general discussion which followed
Samuel j. Barrows OF Boston and other
speakers took the position that some agree
nent on this question should be reached
at the next conference at TIE Hague