New-York tribune., 1914-11-24
Protests Against Allies At
titude and May Seek
Retaliation.
LONDON DECLARATION
STRICTLY OBSERVED
Embassy Here Publishes Charges
Presented to Gerard-Wheat
Cargo Released.

Germany that England and France are
violating the Declaration Of London,
previously presented by the Berlin
/ Foreign Office TO Ambassador Gerard
and representatives of other neutrnls,
were published to-day from the EN-
bassy here. The paper says Germany
/ has thus far strictly observed the
/ Declaration Of London, and has not
/ changed it's attitude. despite the
/ fragrant violations committed by lts
/ adversaries." and adds:
However, the imperial German gov
ernment must now study the question
/ whether it will be able to continue TO
! maintain the above attitude, II the en-
+ envy powers abide by the procedure OBJ
served by them and if the neutral
powers allow such violations OF the
/ principles of neutrality 10 20 on, to
/ the detriment of German interests.
"The imperial German government
/ considers il, therefore, of interest to
/ learn which position the neutral pow
/ ers intend to take toward the attitude
| adopted by Great Britain and france
contrary to international law, and par
| ticularly whether it is their intention
/ TO take measures against the acts OF
violence. committed on board their
merchant vessels against German sub
| jects and German property
international Law Violated"
The German note declares that ad-
ditions and notifications which Great
Britain has made to the Declaration of
London "are of such a nature that
/ they obliterate the said declaration
| in several vital points and at the same
/ time encroach on the accepted rules
of international law. The most vital
notifications are contained in the rule
concerning conditional contraband.
"Under the Declaration of London" p"
/ il adds, there can be no question OF
. conditional contraband except where
I cargo is destined for the use of the
administrative departments or the
military force of the hostile power
nor can the question arise whether
goods are conditional contraband or
rot when the vessel is sailing for n
neutral port" Further, it charges
Great Britain with having made the
rule of continuous voyage applicable
only in the case of absolute contra
band, applicable also with regard TO
conditional contraband in contraven-
tion of the Declaration of London
/ Thus, il declares, conditional contra
band is virtually on the same footing
as absolute contraband."
an consequence" it continues, the
supply by neutrals of objects OF con
Gitional contraband, especially of GOOD
stu%s destined only for the consump-
ton of the inhabitants of a belliger-
ent country, which is universally con-
idered legitimate in international law.
IS practically rendered illuscry, where
/ by the interests of the belligerents as
/ well as of the neutrals are violated in
| a manner contrary to the law of ma
/ tions. As events at the theatres of
/ raval warfare prove, England proceeds
| in this respect in the most highland
cd manner, even enforcing control
over the supplies destined for the
countries adjacent TO Germany and
thereby endangering their yictualling.
principle Wantonly Set Aside"
Great Britain, it is charged, "has
declared rubber, hides and skins, as
well as various kinds of iron ore, TO
| be conditional contraband, although
/ these articles are not at all, or only
/ in an indirect way, suitable for pur-
] poses OF WdIldIts ana NtIGs lItitlOltf
placed on the free list of the dec
laration In this manner the univer
sally accepted principle of interna
tional law that neutral trade with OBJ
ectg for exclusively peaceful use mus"
not be disturbed by the belligerents
is wantonly set aside"
Germany objects to the British claiu
Of right to seize a vessel during its
entire voyage, if carriage Of contra
band has taken place under false ship
ping directions" declaring that neu-
tral shipping is thus Exposed 10 con-
slant chicane." Further, Germany
complains that under the British Or
der in Council "the right of seizure on
account Of blockade running is unduly
extended"
Another charge is that British naval
forces "have seized on merchant YES
sells, sailing under the Dutch, Norwe-
gian or Italian flags, German subjects
liable to do military service" in doing
which it is claimed they have not
only violated the established princi-
pies of international law, as EXPRESSED
in the Declaration of London, hut ais
nfringe6 on an act Of their own legis-
lation" II adds that ain the same
manner the French naval forces have
captured German prisoners liable t.
90 military service on neutral mer-
Spanish vessels"
Copper Question Discussed.
To maintain successfully her right
to seize or detain cargoes Of American
copper, carried on an American or
other neutral vessel TO a neutral coun-
try, such as Italy in the South or Hol-
land in the North of Europe, Great
Britain apparently finds it necessary
to establish the probability that cop
per actually is destined for Germany,
or Austria or even Turkey. One means
Of establishing this probability is to
/ demonstrate that there has been an in
crease in the imports of copper into
any neutral country in excess of the
normal requirements of that country,
as tending to prove that the surplus
copper, or a corresponding quantity
already in the country. has been al
lowed 10 pass across its borders into
I q belligerent country.
The British government has been col
lecting statistics on this subject, and
to-day Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the Brit
ish Ambassador here, spent the best
part of an hour with acting Secretary
Lansing at the State Department going
over the figures. According to Mr..
! Lansing the figures seem to show that
/ the state Of the copper trade of the
/ neutral European countries was quite
/ abnormal. though there was no general
/ increase or decrease.
The whole subject of the right Of
/ the British government to interfere
with these copper shipments is still
under consideration by the State De-
/ partment in connection with arguments
presented on the same subject by
/ counsel for the four American copper
I pvoducipor corn nsnies protaetino AGAIN et