New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-19
GREAT BRITAINS CASE
If United States Might Establish
Precedent, Another Country
Should.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In her contention Great Britain, al
though referring to Germany's barbarous
methods of warfare and breaking Of all in
ternational laws and to her own consequent
measures for protection, does not advance the
theory as you infer, that the United States
or other neutrals should waive any rights.
As understand it, reference is made to the
atrocities etc, to explain why it has been
necessary to take even as severe course as
Great Britain has taken with neutral ship
ping, legal through precedent though she
considers it to be; much as she might, and
possibly later may, if the occasion arises
explain the reason for declaring cotton con
traband, an action she is extremely averse
to taking, owing to the resultant injury to
the cotton interests of this country, although
admittedly justifable in view Of the fact
that cotton is one of the essentials of high
explosives. Thus could Holland very easily
be prevented from importing such large
quantities for accumulation" ostensibly for
her own ultimate consumption.
You say that the British note "does moth
ing more than state British point of view
which will not be accepted by the United
States" Several eminent authorities -Amer-
lean as well as others-take an exactly OPP
posite view to your own, maintaining that
Great Britain's attitude is precisely anal
ogous to that Of the United States in the
Civil War, but whether this be so or not;
whether the exclusion of the Baltic ports is
comparable to the blockade OF only some of
the Southern ports and only part Of their
coast during the Civil War; whether Eng
lands present long distance measures are
equivalent to the interception by the United
States of blockade runners far out in the
Atlantic; whether the American Civil War
plea that the shipment of goods to Mata-
moras Mexico being also a nation with an
industrial life) constituted a continuous
voyage" and the subsequent confscation of
contraband and purchase of non-contraband
sent there, to prevent il from reaching the
South, is a parallel with the detention and
confscation or purchase of goods shipped to
Holland, Denmark, Norway or Sweden for
transshipment to Germany; whether these
and other leaving Nassau out
of the question be proved or not. il can
not be controverted that the United States
found it necessary, owing to certain ext
gencies, to apply principles Of international
law in a new way; they established prece-
dent which was duly recognized and legal
lied by Great Britain and other powers. Con
cedng, then, that the United States had the
right TO establish a precedent, who with
out prejudice, what impartial government
least of all the United States-would deny
a similar privilege to Great Britain or any
other power, always providing of course, that
the well defined laws of humanity were re-
spected?
The very fact alone that one of the belig-
erents has abused these laws to say moth
ing Of the novel methods of warfare that
have come into vogue. necessitating new
rules for its conduct-made the eXigencies
Of the present occasion greater even and
more farreaching than those of the Civil or
of any previous war.
In "Liege 19l4-l915" you ably describe the
horror, the disgust, the detestation of the
civilized world against German barbaric
methods and morals; in this and other ed-
torials you graphically depict the dreadful
ness of the present, owing to German agrees
sion; the blackness of the future in the event
of their success. Realizing, then, as you do
as do all who have humanity's welfare at
heart-that victory for the Allies is para
mount necessity if righteousness and civil
cation are 10 prevail; conceding that they are
lighting the "world's battle" in the interests
not only of themselves but all neutrals, would
lit not be logical to welcome any advantage
that they legally and humanely secure
whether it be by following or establishing a
precedent-th that will be of the slightest as
sstance in crushing this ruthless enemy Of
progress which aspres to world domination
New York, Aug II, 1915. r. f. j.