New Britain herald., 1914-08-02
WAR FINDS STATE
 DEPARTMENT CRIPPLED
Burden Falls on Lansing As Adee
 and Philips Are Absent.

Washington, August 1.-Should the impending storm in Europe break with it's full force 1t is expected that the state department here will be deluged with questions which will require the greatest caution to decide properly. er1y.
 In the face of this emergency the department is virtually denuded of men familiar with the complexities of international law and the various questions arising out of the existence of a state of war between great ma tions.
 Moore Is Out
 John Bassett Moore. who was called in to serve a second term in the state department for the sole purpose of guiding the United States diplomat ically through the Spanish American war, is out, after less than a year of service under President Wilson and Secretary Bryan.
 Alvey A. Adee, who for more than forty years has been in the diplo- r1atic and department service and now holds the petition of second as- sistant secretary, is on his annual Val action in Europe. Because of his
 
 usual attachments in the field of in- ternational law and procedure MT. Adee was asked to represent the United States al the international con- ference in Christiania, Norway. this summer, owing to the sudden illness of the regular American delegate.
 MT. Adee has been of invaluable as- sistance to the present administra- st. ,frA l.;,, sought. He is not expected back for nearly a month however, and may have difficulty in returning to the United States.
 Phillips Also Absent.
 William Phillips, the trained dip- lon1at whom Mir. Bryan substituted in the office of Third Assistant for Dud- ley Field Malone, left this week on vacation and will be absent until September 1t is we'll known that Secretary Bryan and assistant Secre- tary Osborn are now getting their first experience with questions of an international character; Solicitor Cone Johnson, also recently appointed, is likewise inexperienced in State De- partment matters.
  the present situation so far as knowl- edge of international law, procedure and precedent are concerned is thrown upon the shoulders of Robert Lansing. Mir. Moore'ss successor in the office of counselor. Mir. Lansing has had a long and varied experience in information al questions and is thoroughly famil- far with all the principles and all the ,1& task of steering the course of absolute neutrality for the United States. MT. Lansing cannot, however, count upon much expert assistance in the present state of affairs in Mr. Bryan's baili- wick.
 Questions of shipping alone are ex- pected to produce great mass of business for the Department. Ameri- can vessels will enjoy the right of trade with the belligerents, but will be subjected to seizure and search for contra band goods. The question of what constitutes contraband is one of the biggest controversies in the field of international law.
 Protection of Citizens.
 The rights and protection of Ameri- cans abroad is expected to prove an- other vexing question for the state de- pa artment to look after. The interests of Americans in Europe and elsewhere which will be affected by a general war are of great value.
 The exodus of natives of the in- volved European countries from the United States to join the armies in Europe is also likely to raise difficult questions There is little doubt that many natives of these countries who are naturalized Americans will re- turn to their old homes to fight. Their status will be questionable, as in some countries the right of repatriation is not viewed as literally as it is in the Jnted States.