The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-09-02
Our Advanced Neutral Policy.

| The Wilson administration is taking
an advanced position on all questions
involving neutrality, perhaps writing
some new international law. Surely 1t
| ia establishing what viii be talked
about" whether followed by other ma
lions or not. In spite Of the presidents
proclamation of Aug. in which he said
belligerent ship should take on IN our
ports mo more than enough coal to
| take her to the nearest home port" there
| remains a coal question to be settled, II
we are to take eorrespondingly advanced
ground there.
The United States may, consistently
with what the president has said, allow
| a ship TO take enough coal to reach
| her nearest home port without asking
| her any questions. Or this country may
decide that warship will be coaled only
when it Is clear that she intends actual
lly to make the trip to her home port,
Instead OF consuming the coal near the
coast of the United States in belliger-
emit operations. We should probably not
be fooled long, in case we gave coal to
the Eelligerent cruiser only with the hui
name purpose of letting her get home.
Coal has of late acquired a new inn
iportance in the worlds warfare, During
our civil struggle England and other
countries allowed Confederate cruisers
to take large quantities OF 1t, These
nations were never held by us respon-
sible for the acts of these cruisers IN
consequence of the source OF their fnei
supply. Since then conditions have
changed. Coal has become dominant. IL
was lack OF it which kept the Spanish
feet in Santiago in 1898 until bottled
lup" by the American navy. Its sale IN
neutral ports. to belligerent warships,
has been increasingly restricted with ITS
growing Importance.
Our traditional policy has been to ia.
vor these increased restrictions because
we have wanted to protect neutral com
merce from interference. Great Britain,
| too. has been in favor of further re-
strictions because her widely scattered
colonies and coaling stations have made
her less dependent on the Inequalities
of neutrals But France, Russia, Ger
many and Austria have continually hung
back. The Hague convention OF 1907
showed the utmost limit that they would
90 when il said: "Belligerent warships
NAV ship only sufficient fuel TO enable
them to reach the nearest port in their
own country"
This convention states what neutrals
"must" do. II does not limit the right
of a neutral nation on its own account
to restrict coaling further. Some ma
tions have done just that and we may,
If President Wilson so DEGREES. Brazil,
in 1898. issued circular which said:
Furnishing coal to ships which sail the
seas near Brazil for the purpose OF max
ing prizes of an enemy's vessels or prose-
cutting any other kind Of hostile opera
tions is prohibited" The governor OF
Bermuda issued a proclamation forbid
ding all sale of coal unless the belliger-
emit warship could actually show that
she intended to sail TO home port. In
1904 Great Britain issued a statement
that its permission to coal sic not to be
understood as having any application to
the case Of belligerent feet proceeding
either to the seat of war, or TO a posi-
ton or positions on the line OF route
with the object of intercepting neutral
vessels on suspicion of carrying contra
band of war"
In the case OF wireless Mr.. Wilson
did not hesitate TO take very advanced
ground. The Hague convention OF 1907
expressly stated that a neutral state
was under no obligation to interfere
with the transmission Of belligerent mes
sages over an ordinary commercial cable
or from an ordinary commercial wireless
station. Nevertheless, he decided that
such use OF wireless stations would b
. making territory Of the United states
of too great aid 70 belligerents.
His attitude in the Morgan loan Ma
Of the same sort. II is true that tn
refusal 81 the administration has no ie
gal effect but il is having much mora
influence. The English government n
lls70 allowed the fotation Of loans fo'
both contestants Confederate loan
were hoated in France. Holland Ger
many and England. Yet our admins
ltration took the view that u would n
violation Of the -spirit" Of neutrality
lIt remains to be seen what that spirii
has 10 saw about the black diamonds.-
Boston Herald
Ispar's War Move
$3.50. -. aast-m - -