Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-08-05
ENGLAND REFUSES
TO MODIFY RULES
. Of SEA BLOCKADE
Reply to American Representa-
tions Sets Contentious Of
United States at Naught-
Invites Arbitration.
DEFEND ORDER IN COUNCIL
Claim This Country Employed
Similar Methods In Civil
WarrLansing Drafting
an Answer.

Washington. Aug. 5.-President Will
toms reply to Great Britain's latest
notes rejecting the American demands
for relief from interference with neu-
trail commerce under the orders in
'council. is practically ready to be dis
patched to London.
Although Great Britain's notes We're
made public only last night and the
state department received them only
Monday. the American government
knew the British views through infor-
British officials here and in London.
and had framed its reply before the
Inotes actually We're received. 1t is be-
lfeved there will be little change in the
Ianswer already prepared when it goes
to London.
4 Will Go To Arbitration.
Admitting that unusual conditions.
which Great Britain contends form
!pasis for exceptional action. the Amer
ican reply will continue to contest the
LEGALITY of taking ships from the high
seas on voyages to neutral ports. 1t Is
understood the American government
will differentiate from ships on the
high seas and ships which go to British
lports or which attempt to run block
Jade lines. The British argument that
\ American commerce had not suffered
also will be contested.
In all quarters it seems to be agreed
that the controversy has reached the
stage of an academic discussion with
some evidences of a trend toward ultl-
mate submission to an international
/ arbitration commission as u way out OF
the deadlock.
Great Britain in her notes published
today refuses to accept the American
are illegal and justifies the British
course as being wholly within interna-
tional law.
Great Britain, it is declared. will con-
tinue to applyethe order in council. but
with every effort to avoid embarraSS-
ment to neutrals
1t is denied that international law is
violated by the blockading of neutral
ports to cut off an enemy's commerce
| with foreign countries and Great Brit
| ain declines to allow the free passage OF
| goods originating In Germany and ter
4 ritory under German control.
Invite Arbitration.
Great Britain's reply is embodied in
two notes. one supplemental. and to-
I ge!her with the correspondence over
the American steamer. Neches, seized
by the British while bound for Rotter-
dam to the United States With goods OF
! German origin also published today
| totals 1000 words. The supplemental
| note is a reply to the American caveat
| giving notice that the United States
| would not recognize the orders in coun-
Gil in lieu Of international law and de-
| fends prize court proceedings. The Uni
ted States is invited, however. to sub
i nit to arbitration any prize court de-
| cision it holds unjust
! In the case of the steamer. Neches.
| detained under the orders il, council.
the note justifies British stoppage OF
commerce from Germany and German
| controlled territory on INC ground that
| Germany has violated international law
in her war on British and reutral COM
! merce.
The German note regarding the sink
ing of the American Sip. William p.
Frye probably will be given out late
today for publication tomorrow morn
| ing
Conditions Change Rules.
Changed conditions of warfare, the
British note contends, requires a new
application of the principles of inter
national law. The advent of the sub
marine. the airship, and the alleged
atrocities by German troops in Bel
gium are cited as justification for the
| exercise of extreme measures. The
blockade is justified on the contention
that the universally recognized fun
damental principle of blockade is
that belligerent is entitled to cut off
"by effective means the seaborne COM
merce of his enemy"
The note reiterates that Great Brit
ain will continue to apply the orders
complained of, although not without
every effort to avoid embarrassment to
neutrals. and observes that the Amer
lean statistics show that any loss in
trade with Germany and Austria has
been more than overbalanced by the
increase of other Industrial activities
due to the war
Sir Edward then refers to atrocities
In Belgium, poisoning of wells in Ger
man southwest Africa use of poison
GUS gases against the allies troops in
| Flanders, and finally the sinking of the
Lusitania, to show "how Indispensable
1t is that we should leave unused no
justifiable method il defending our
Selves.
Blockade Of Neutral Ports.
Coming down to the question of the
allied blockade Of neutral ports. the
note continues:
I'm the various notes which 1 have
received from your excellency, the
right of a belligerent to establish a
blockade Of the enemy ports is admit
ted, right which has obviously no
| value save in so far as it gives power
to belligerent to cut off the seaborne
Il exports and imports of his enemy. The
contention which l understand the
United States government now puts
forth is that if belligerent is SO cir
cumstanced that his commerce can
pass through adjacent neutral ports as
easily as through ports in his own ter
ritory, his opponents have no right to
interfere and must restrict his meas
ures of blockade in such manner as
to leave such avenues of commerce
still open to his adversaries. This is
a contention which his majesty's gov
ernment feel unable to accept and
which seems to them unsrstainable
, either in point Of law or upon prin-
, ciples of international equity.
"The only question which can arise in
, regard to the measures resorted to for the
purpose of carrying out blockade upon
these extended lsies is. whether. to use
lyour excellency's words. they conform to
the spirit and principles of the essence Of
1.-THE rules OF war and we shall be content
to apply this test to the action which we
have taken insofar as it has necessitated
interference with neutral commerce"