The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1915-07-22

biOckade OF neutral coast, it iS ad-
mitted, wculd-be regarded as q casus
belli.
Not only does this government
challenge Great Britain's claim to the
right to virtually blockade neutral
coasts, but 1t will also insist I'm the
Forthcoming general note to Great
Britain that the so-called blockade
even of the German coast has not
been maintained with equal regard to
all neutrals; that It has been dis
criminatory in effect, IL not i'm pur-
pose, and that it has not been an eff
fective blockade for the reason that
| only the North Sea coast of Germany
has been affected, while the Baltic
Sea coast of Germany has been un-
blockaded and free for commerce
with Norwegian and Swedish ports.
The British government has sent
no warships into the Baltic to block
ade that part of the German coast,
and has not taken into it's prize
| courts single cargo bound from
| Sweden to German ports. This has
| resulted in building up an enormous
| trade between Sweden and Germany,
| and while foodGtuffs and other pro-
ducts have Doe barr> d from the Ger
man North Sea front door, they have
entered Germany through the Baltic
| Sea back door.
Thus the attempt to starvo the civil
population Of Germany has borne
down unequally on neutrals, since
Swedish and some Norwegian ship
ments, as well as Danish shipments,
have been able to proceed to Ger
many, while American goods destin-
ed for delivery inside the entrance to
the Baltic Sea have been barred from
going to Norway, Sweden and Den
mark. AS a result, it is impossible
for American shippero of cotton,
meats, and other products to send
them to Goteborg, Christiansand, Cop
enhagen and Stockholm, while goods
from these ports have beon able to
proceed to Germany, despite the So
called blockade under the British
order in council.
BESIDES pointing out i'm tho next
note to Great Britain this inequality
OF the British blockade, SO far as
shipments by neutrals to German Bal
tic Sea ports arc concerned, the
American government will insist that
American shippers have IN undoubt-
ed right to ship goods from this coun-
try to Holland, Norway, Sweden,
and Denmark, and to receive goods
in return.
The British policy has resulted in
paralysis for the American cotton and
meat trades with those countries, and
Americans hive not been able to ship
cotton to Germany or Austria or
| bring goods out Of Germany since
March l, except to the limited extent
permitted by the informal arrange
ments made between American ship
pers and the British government.
There Is II legal way under inter-
national law by which Great Britain
might bar American cotton from GO
ing to Germany. That would be by
declaring cotton to be absolute con-
traband. But the British govern
ment has been endeavoring to accom-
plish the result without resorting to
that measure.
The British government fully real
ICES that If it establishes the prece-
dent of treating cotton as absolute
contraband it would not only be Of
tending the great cotton interests OF
the South and displensing tho United
States government, but the precedent
thus established might become q
boomerang during a subsequent war
when conditions might be changed and
some other belligerent might turn the
tables on the British by treating cot
ton as contraband and preventing its
shipment to England.
Should Great Britain now put cot
ton on its contraband list it would be
possible for Germany in some future
war to respond in like m..nner, and
thus keep cotton out Of British ports
Moreover, less than year ago the
British government formally assured
The United States that cotton would
not be treated as contraband, but
would be allowed to have freedom
OF the seas and it is contended by
officials that to declare cotton contra.
band now would be might inconsist.
ent and contradictory Of the former
assurances.
Strictly interprete" the British or.
der in council Of March Is would
have barred all cotton from going to
Germany. In the enforcement OF the
order, England sought to stop cotton
shipments leaving this country after
March and destined for Germany
This would have upset existing
contracts made on the basis Of Eng.
lands previous assurances that cot
ton would have the freedom OF the
seas. England then, by informal ar.
rangement, which the United States
government never officially recogniz.
ed, agreed to permit cotton that had
sold before March 1 to go forward
until April l, with the understanding
that this cotton, If requisitioned by
the British government would be paid
for.
This permitted some cotton to &c
forward with the understanding tha,
the British government would pay
for it. But since April I cotton has
not been permitted to go to Germany
even IL shipped through neutral ports
One shipment OF cotton involved in a
bona fide sale to Russia, was stopped
at Kirkwall and detained nearly q
month before 1t was allowed to pro.
ceed, although ample assurances were
given that 1t was going to Russia and
would not be transshiped to Germany
While such temporary arrange.
ments have been made by shippers
the American government has never
officially recognized them because II
could not do so without recognizing
the order in council, and the state