The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-08-20

was made forty-three years after tie
close of the civil war in the United
States, about which Great Britain now
prates so much
Moreover it was made, as Mr. Taylor
points out, latter the use Of torpedoes,
submarines, submarine mines and 9th
er means of submarine destruction
were perfectly understood and pro-
vided for" Therefore, Mr.. Taylor
concludes b2at it is "an insult to our
intelligence" for Sir Edward Grey to
now contend that new conditions"
have made this Declaration of London,
which Great Britain herself brought
about, "inapplicable." He insists that
the discussion of all cases at issue be
limited to tie declaration itself, from
which he quotes Article % in clear
and express terms, as follows:
! "The following may not be declared
contraband of war: (1) Raw cotton,
wool, silk, jute, fax, hemp and other
raw materials of the textile industries,
and yarns of the same"
With 1ais before us, ex-Minister Tay-
lor's conclusions are irresistible, it
seems to us-for all except those who
want to see Great Britain come out
victorious in this war, regardless of
their own, or any other, country's in
terests-and we quote therefrom, as
follows:
'1And so the time has arrived at last
wEaen the infatuated who have been
fawning at the feet of Great Britain,
even to the point of surrendering our
right to control the Panama Canal, can
no longer deceive themselves. In re-
turn we have received a blow in the
face from the mailed hand tat always
lifts it's despotic power to control the
| high seas above every other earthly
consideration. To accomplish
that end she claims: (1) the right
to blockade neutral ports of Holland,
Denmark, Norway and Sweden; (2) to-
declare by her own municipal .ordi-
nance articles contraband which by
the Declaration of London solemnly
prepared in her own capital in 1909,
were to be exempt from seizure as
such.
"And yet in the teeth of tat positive
agreement that raw cotton shall never
be made contraband, Great Britain
hunts it down on the high sea as if
it were wolf ready to deyour instead
of to clothe tie poor and needy. And
so the settled international maritime
law of the world is trampled under
foot by, British orders in council, ar
bitrary edicts which issue by virtue of
certain ancient and despotic power
/ PSSlSu Ill CuS p11fS SOohSAA @SIA1S U1IAA
out the authority of parliament.
"Our Atlantic seaboard, which is
reaping a great harvest, is more than
content to have things remain as they
are, no matter how muda the West,
with it's vast food products, and
the South with it's vast cotton
products may suffer in tie mean
time 1t is no use to dis
guise the issue between the forces
now at work. If congress could only
meet; if the American people could
only enjoy the benefits of the power
and leadership, tie mere threat Of an
embargo act would rectify everything
so far as Great Britain is concerned,
without the slightest danger of war.
81 have perfect confidence in the
wisdom, patriotism and courage of the
splendid men who lead the Democratic
majorities in both houses of congress.
The Democratic party is not bank
rupt in leadership in either house.
"The future of the Democratic party.
as well as t,e future of the country,
is in great peril Only very early
meeting of congress can save the ship |
before it is too late"
We commend the above strong, clear,
convincing legal opinion, from lead
ing authority on international law and !
diplomacy-who is not pleading the
cause of any of the belligerent Euro
pean nations, but only the rights OF
is own and other neutral countries
to the careful and prayerful consider
alton of those people who are permit
ting sentiment and nothing but senti-