The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-02-25

]
protecting his commerce. The oehs-
srsnt 10 minimize the Inconvenience
20 neutrals. may notify them Of the dat
when auch action viii commence anu
~ the area within which II VIII tahe
Mace. expecting in return tnat he
neutrals will be ready to allow without
protest a fuller exercise OF rights IN
accordance with his Interpretation o.
| them. 49,.
rba war zone is an attempt TO affect
a practical compromise between inc
views of the belligerent, on the one
hand. and those OF neutrais, on the
other. BY limiting the area OF APP
plication the belligerent hopes tnat
the neutrals will not contest the exer-
else within the cihcumscribed limits OF
what the beliigerent would maintain as
his rights. |
! The declaring OF war zone cannot,
ihcwever give a belligerent the right
to take any action not authorized by
international law. He remains huhy
responsible, within the zone as else
where. for any violation Of the rights
OF neutnaIs by the forces under his com
mand.
fa) What Is an effective biockade7
An effective blockade Is one that Is
maintained by q sufficient force to rem
der dangerous the access to or egress
from those ports of that portion OF
beliigerent territory to which II is
intended to apply. The London decia-
/ ration changed or simplified the diverse
practices In regard to blockade. Al
though the rules OF the Declaration OF
London do not constitute international
law. 1t is to be expected that they will
be applied except where belligenent
considers that he has real interest
to revert to his former practice.
whether a blockade can be maintained
by means OF floating mines or sub
marines is a disputed question Of in
ternational law. The fundamental idea
OF blockade Is that 1t is a conpro-
mise between the right OF neutrals 10
continue their ordinary commerce and
the right of a belligerent to bring pres
sure to bear on his adversary by cut
, ting off his trade with those ports or
portion of his coast which he Is able
effectively to patrol by means Of his
naval force.
The fourth rule Of the Declaration Of
Paris declares: Biockades. in order to
be binding, must be effective; that Is
, to say, maintained by a force suffi-
cient to prevent access to the coast Of
the enemy. To restrict this right with
, in reasonable limits, neutrais must be
allowed to disregard any blockade that
Is not effective; otherwise a belliger-
ent would declare extensive regions
. blockaded and make II an excuse for
, seizing any ships destined thereto.
(s) Has a beiIIgerent merchant
!, man the right to fly neutral
flag7
J 1t has been generally recognized that
) belligerent ships Of all kinds may en-
: ploy the flag of q neutral nation as
i a ruse OF war. to escape seizure. or
: for any other purpose. provided the
I true flag Is displayed before the COM
l mission OF any act OF war. Undoubted-
/ ly there IL much to be said against
) this practice. and 1t Is to be hoped
) that 1t may be prohibited at the end
; of this war. In the case Of the LUIS
! itania, however, there is no reason to
r hold the beligerent responsible for en-
(; 6angering American ships. since the
) destruction Of ship without previous
t visit and the examination OF papers is
absolutely contrary to international law.
/ IL later an American ship should be
destroyed, under the belief that she
was really British, the full responsible
, ity would fall upon those guilty OF
, this violation of international law
: and not In the slightest upon those
who had previously made use Of oui
flag to escape danger.
~ Has a beiIlgerent a right to
: make use Of torpedoes or other
means to destroy his enemy's mer-
cttahtmen, without visit and search
: even though this may involve the
: sdaath Of passengers and crew?
Without question belligerent does
! not have any such right. The securi-
ty Of neutral commerce depends upon
the strict observance OF the rule which
. requires a belligerent to visit every
|. ship and examine its papers before hi
seizes 1t or sinks It. In certain ex.
: ceptional cases he may destroy neu-
trail vessel, liable to condemnation
when such action is necessary. Un.
der no circumstances, however, whether
the vessel be neutral or belligerent
may she be destroyed unless her paper.
are preserved and the safety of tn,
passengers and crew provided for. N,
government would for q moment main.
tain the right of It's cruisers to fir,
and sink a vessel without a previous
visit and examination Of the ship,
papers. The fact that a shot Is deliv.
cred below the surface of the wate
does not in the slightest affect thi,
principle. It Is not sufficient compli
ance with the requirements for tn.
safety OF the passengers and crew t,
turn them adrift in small boats. Should
loss OF life result from this action t,
any American citizen 1t would be goot
J ground for war
: (5) What Is the difference be-
tween the German announcement
OF war zone and the British
warning In regard to a mine area
I'm the North scar
The essential differnece is that
! though Great Britain claimed to hay,
! recourse to the laying Of mines by wa,
, OF reprisal made necessary by the actio
! OF Germany, she did not, in theory
disregard the rights of neutrals Il
pass through these regions. but arrans
ed so that they should call at a Brit
iSh port to he nilofa1 tnrourh a.