Evening star., 1915-03-26
commerce to German ports without
complying with the recognized rules of

complying with the recognized rules of
blockade.
ed 1t interferes with the commerce
of neutrals at neutral ports, even
though that commerce consists OF con-
ditional contraband or non-contraband
goods.
There is no rule of international law
which authorizes Great Britain to stop
the non-contra band goods of citizens of
the United States being shipped to Rot-
terdam, even though those goods may
ultimately be shipped by rail into Ger
many There is no rule of international
law that authorizes Great Britain to
stop goods produced In Germany, own
ed by an American citizen and pelns
shipped by an American citizen from
Rotterdam to the United States Tnere
is no rule of international law when
authorizes Great Britain to stop condi.
tional contraband goods of citizens OF
the United States being shipped 70
Rotterdam, there to be discharged anu
if destined for German use to be snip
ped from Rotterdam by rail into Ger
many OF course, 1 use Rotterdam sim
ply as an illsutration.
.'One of the most grievous enects OF
this order will be the prevention OF
by the manufacturing enterprises OF
the United States. ! am advised thae
in thirty days many Of our mills when
use almost exclusively German made
dyestuffs will have used up their pres
ent supply. While striking at Ger
many. the blow of Great Britain VIII
be felt far more in the United States
than in Germany, so far as the pre-
vention of shipment of dyestuffs is
concerned.
Hopes for Further Modification.
THE British government lessened the
injurious effect of the order. so far as
cotton is concerned, by providing un-
der a special order that cotton shipped
from the United States on or before
March 81 may under certain restric-
tions proceed. I hope the order will be
further modified, and that the British
government will see the Importance OF
not violating rules of international
law, which have been so frequently
by the courts of Great
There are no cases decided by the
courts of the United States which in
any way sustain the portions Of the
British order in council, which 1 have
criticised.
The Springbok case, in 9Th Wallace.
sustained the seizure of the cargo OF
a vessel where the port of destination
Of the vessel was Nassau The vessel
was discharged. The cargo was con-
de emned on evidence which disclosed.
among other things. that all of the
J,
consisted. in part. of arms. equipment
and munitions of war: it was the prop
erty of men who were shown to be
cooperating with representatives Of
the Confederate government for the
purpose of running the blockade. 1t
was shown that u portion OF the cargo
was clearly intended for the use of
the Confederate government for war
purposes, and it was further shown
that the parties owning the cargo
owned a vessel called the Gertrude.
which was engaged in running the
blockade from Nassau. This decision
has been criticised not on account of
the principle of law that it enunciated
but on account of the version placed
upon the facts by the court.
As to Peterhoff Case.
'"The Peterhoff case, also in 5th
Wallace, expressly Declares, The trade
of neutrals with belligerents in arti-
cles not contraband is absolutely free
unless interrupted by blockade, and
again: "A vessel destined for neutral
the ship, or none by sea for the cargo
to any blockaded place, violates no
blockade
II regret especially the British order
in council, for the British ambassador,
Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, has been most
courteous and has done much to aid
cotton shippers during the past four
to put their cotton into Euro
pean markets. In spite of this fact.
however, If Congress were in session,
think the President would be author
lied by Congress to cooperate with
other neutrals to put an embargo on
products required by England and
France, to remain of force until, at
least, so much of the British order i'll
council is revoked which prevents neu-
trails from shipping goods other than
into neutral ports, there to
be discharged, and which prevents the
shipment of goods of German origin
from neutral ports to neutral coun-
tries"