The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-11-11
F|RMNESS OF NOTE
STARTLES BRITISH
Public Generally Had Forgot
ten Quarrel With America
Hold Issues Are
DebatabIe.

SS00loOISs -
London. Nov. Notwithstanding
the forecasts of the American note to
Great Britain which had been sent
from Washington by correspondents of
the British press surprise is the pre-
dominant tone of the majority of the
British newspapers in their comment
on the document. The country has been
too deeply wrapped in the considera-
ton of pressing European problems
during the past few weeks to give
much attention to American opinion,
and apparently it was not aware that
the treatment of American shipping
might furnish ground fer a serious con-
troversy between h two governments.
THE American note upon u inter-
ference with neutral trade" says the
Pail Mall Gazette. will be read with
some surprise in this country. While
the duty Of every Owe to keep Wig
liant guard over the interests of its own
commerce will be freely recognized, it
must be felt that the United States
scarcely grapples with the realities OF
the situation created in the first place
by the fact Of war, and in the second
by the criminality Of German practices.
In some passages, the note seems to
invoke the authority of international
law, as if its problems could be finally
settled for n belligerent without re-
ference to the doings OF the other. That
is a view utterly inapplicable in the
world of things as they are. 1t is i'm
possible to deal with questions arising
between the allies and the United
States while ignoring the practices OF
Admiral Won Tirpitz and the changes
in policy which they enforced upon
ourselves and our friends"
Charge Crooked Methods.
The Gazette a the British govern
ment has showed a desire to reduce in
convenience to neutral trade to a mini
num-, but that it is notorious that the
methods Of concealment which it
declares have been adopted by Ameri-
can shippers exhibit a variety and in
genuity demanding the most thorough
%ounter check.
IF we nave been driven to introduce
new presidents into international law.
we are only following in the footsteps
of the American government in far less
drastic position than the records of the
civil war display"
1t contends hat the spirit Of inter-
national law is superior to the letter.
ITO that spirit" it asserts, I'VE have
adhered with the closest fidelity and
with a generosity to which some fuller
recognition from leading neutral powers
would not Ave been inappropriate. To
resign any portion of our ability to
sliailSie tne commerce OF a pirate
enemy out Of Difference to merely
technical argument would be treason
able alike to our allies and to the blood
and sacrifice Of our own citizens
After quoting the American argu-
ments, the Daily Mail says:
Our case-it Is a very strong one
is hat the orders in council were in
reply to Germanv's reputation of all
international law. The power which
wickedly torpedoed neutral ships and
ships with neutral passengers and
which sowed the sea with mines showed
complete indifference for those neutral
rights of which the United States de-
clares itself the unhesitating champion.
w waited for the neutrals to act,
and as they did not act we acted our-
selves in the interest of humanity. The
doctrines which we applied are, IN
essence. those laid down by the United
States court in the civil war"
Terms Note Vigorous.
The Daily News remarks on the fact
that the note is couched in vigorous
uncompromising language, parallel in
the American notes to Germany, but
hitherto foreign to the communications
passed between London and Washing
ton and admits that no mistakes had
been graver than to underestimate the
seriousness of the contention advanced
by the United States.
On point Of detail, the Daily News
recognizes the complaint that Ameri-
can ships seized are charged port dues
and other eXactions. is unreasonable
and says this should be rectified.
The newspaper expresses the belief
that Washington will recognize that
the recent activity of British subma-
rines in the Baltic materially modifies
the contention that the blockade is in
effective. On the broad question the
Daily News considers that though it
may be impossible to supersede prize
courts by an international court there
is nothing to prevent Of the difficulties
by institution Of a panel of jurists of
certain of the allied and neutral coun-
tries.
The Times. in an editorial this morn
ing. says it imagines that the American
jurists n diplomats will feel that the
note is not altogether worthy of the
better traditions of the republic since
it raises a number Of technical points
of disputed international law but no.
where rises to the broad View of the
larger issue involved in the world war
or indicates that statesmen's ability
to adapt old principles to novel con-
litiar.T aA..E