South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-20
BLOCKADE IS 4
QUESTION Of FACT
AND NOT Of LAW
Judgment of Neutrality Board
is Awaited Before Govern
ment Frames Its Reply to
Great Britain.

WASHINGTON, March 20. - After
prolonged discussion Friday by
Pres't Wilson and the cabinet of the
British order in council, blockade in
the abstract and concrete, and rights
of American citizens to deal freely
with neutrals and to belligerents, it
was asserted that no reply or COM
munication to the allies in whole or
in part had been formulated.
Officials repeated significantly Fri
day that the main question is whether
or not there is a blockade, and they
hold q blockade, and especially the
present blockade" is a question of
fact and not of law.
To determine this governments flu
ture attitude on the modern blockade
il is necessary TO get the Judgment
of the neutrality board of which
James Brown Scott, a former member
of The Hague council, is chairman.
With him on the board are expert
naval officers. In the meantime, how
ever, the navy views of the blockade
are being discussed daily between
experts of the navy department and
of the state department.
Is Question of Fact.
cit is manifest" said an official
Friday who will have a great deal to
do with the formulation of the reply
to Great Britain, that the present
blockade, alleged or actual, cannot be
considered from any international
view point of modern times We
therefore must not begin with law
but first determine what is the extent
and effectiveness of the new British
constitution. When we know that.
we will be able to say whether or
not cOrdons Of cruisers can operate
from the English channel all around
the globe with any degree of justifica-
ton. If we are able TO say TO Great
Britain that this is not a blockade
then we have created a main issue to
which she will be expected TO give a
positive answer"
Part Of the time the cabinet meet
ing was taken up by statements
made by MIR. Redfeld. secretary Of
commerce, giving the amount of trade
IN the beginning of the war. 1t was
apparently on this statement that the
report became current after the cab
met meeting that some of the cabinet
members entertain the view that the
United States would not be very hard
hit after all. as even under the order
in council the United States viii still
be able TO deal freely with France,
England and Russia.
Wilson Has No Power.
Inc paper was formulated DA
Counselor Lansing and in part fol-
lows.
Neither the president nor any
executive in the United States possess
the legal authority to interfere in
any way with trade between the peo-
pic of this country and the territory
OF belligerent. There is no act
of congress comforting such authority
or prohibiting traffic of this sort with
European nations. although in the
case OF neighboring American repub-
lies congress has given the president
power 10 proclaim an embargo ON
arms and ammunition when in his
judgment 1t would tend To prevent
civil strife
For the government OF the United
States itself To sell TO a belligerent
nation would be an unnatural act but
for a private individual to sell 10 a
belligerent any product of the United
States is neither unlawful nor unneu-
trail, nor within the power of the
executive 20 prevent or control
THE foregoing remarks, however,
do not apply 10 the Quitting or fur
nishlng OF vessels in American ports
or OF military expeditions on American
soil in aid of a belligerent. These
acts are prohibited by the neutrality
laws of the United States
Department OF state October 10.
1914"