Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09
Former German Official Says
All Relations Between Nations
Involved Are Broken.
TREATIES OF COMMERCE
NOW ENDED, HE ASSERTS
Discusses Present Disorganization of
Europe in Address Before City
Club of Cleveland.

CLEN Ohio. May S.-Dr. Rer-
nard Dernberg. former colonial secretary
of Germany. delivered an address this
evening before the City Club. in discus
sion of the present world war" in
which he said in part:
The world war has broken all rela-
tons that existed between the warning
Peoples All treaties of commerce and
navigation between Germany. Austria
and Turkey on the one side. and Eng
land Russia, France. Belgium. Japan.
Servia and Egypt on the other. have
treaties, not directly between nations at
war. have proven unsatisfactory; es-
pecially has the status of China been
completely changed. The law of ma
tons, notably the law regulating over
sea commerce in times of peace and of
war has completely broken down. The
rules Of warfare are. SO says each of
the contending factions. most grossly
violated by the other. The Geneva con-
vention has failed in a number of in
stances to protect the Red Cross
DISCRIMINATION Complete.
AT no time during the history of the
"OTlO mas SO cOHlplete h
ton in one form or another Of rights
and regulations occurred. Every peace
that is concluded must rearrange all
these relations. Never has the world
had such chance to start again to erect
international relations from a rock bot
tom basis. 1t stands to reason that, if
the time for peace negotiations comes,
they will last very long. indeed; and
lnr, fnd
which all intercourse will remain in
state of suspense.
TT is. therefore. most essential that
the questions involved be preached on
very broad lines. We must find prin-
ciples that recommend themselves by
their simplicity and usefulness to all
the world, and We must find guarantees
that will prove reliable safeguards
against any infraction of those simple
principles, in order that recurrence of
this general upheava1 can be success
fully avoided for some measurable time.
Principles Demanding Recognition.
These principles are probably:
"F'irst-The recognition of the truth
that strong nations showing great vi
tally and large increase are entitled
to enough soil, air and water, in
order to maintain and advance their
growing population. The lack of such
proper adjustment of the conditions of
the European powers during the last
fifty years has been one of the pri-
mary causes for unrest in Europe and
one of the principal dangers to the
peace of the world.
"Second-Since no readjustment of
this kind can take place in Europe it
self on account Of national lines, it is
necessary to seek the solution, first, by
the apportioning of all uncivilized
parts of the globe; that is. by re-
adjustment of colonial possessions,
then by the creation of spheres of in
influence and non-interference with ma
tions who are willing to take and con-
cede such spheres; further, by an open
door and equal opportunity policy all
oven the globe: and, finally the neu-
tralization of all the seas and mar
rows. cables and oversee mails of the
world.
This readjustment must be sane
toned through a simple and codified
international law. safeguarded in a
way that it cannot be broken without
putting the infractor outside of the
pale of international relationship not
only with the party attacked, but also
with all the parties remaining neu-
trail.
Must Strike at the Root.
Unless We go to the root of the
whole trouble we shall never be able