Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-11-22
WHITE BOOK IS
ISSUED TOSHOW
U. S. ATTITUDE
Charges and Counter Charges
to ard From European Ma
tons Are Revealed

ularly known as the United States
governments White Book has been is
sued by the state department
The volume reveals TO thelpublic a
series of charges and counter-charges
by the belligerents that reflect the
difficulties constantly encountered in
the delicate task Of observing neu-
| trality.
A memorandum from the German
foreign office follows in part:
Under the general principles of
International law no exception can be
taken 10 neutral states letting war
material go TO Germany's enemies
from or through their territory.
IF, however, state ayails itself OF
that liberty in favor of her enemies,
then it must be In accordance with
rule generally accepted in internation-
al law, !. place no obstacle to the
German military force ordering con-
traband from or through its territory.
According to the principles of inter.
national law above cited a neutral
state need not prevent furnishing sup
plies of this character; neither can it,
after allowing the adversaries to be
furnished with contraband, either de-
tain or In any way disable a merchant
ship carrying such cargo. Only
when contraband trade would turn the
ports into bases OF German military
operations would the unilateral stop
page of the trade of those vessels be-
come duty.
Would Be UHneutral.
?. H. ITna I'd
States contraband of war, especially
arms, with several billions Of marks.
This, in itself, they are authorized to
do. But II the United States would
prevent our warships occasionally
drawing supplies from its ports a great
injustice grows out of the authorize
ton, for It would amount to an UNI
neutral treatment of the belligerents
and constitute breach of the gener.
ally accepted rules of neutrality to
Germany's detriment."
The secretary of state in his reply
held that:
THE essential idea of neutral ter
rftory becoming the base of naval OPP
erations by belligerent is, in the
opinion of this government, repeated
departure from such territory Of mer.
chant vessels laden with fuel or other
supplies for beIligerent warships at
sea. In order to ascertain the YES
sells which are thus operating the gov
eminent has been obliged to inyesti-
gate certain cases In order that It
might determine whether there have
been or are about to be repetition of
such acts. but In all respect equality
of treatment has been observed to-
ward all merchant vessels suspected
of carrying supplies to belligerent YES
sells"
The correspondence shows that the
state department received also a COM
plant from the British ambassador,
stating that THE systematic way in
which neutral ships have left Amer
lean ports In order to supply German
cruisers, and have been allowed to
operate freely In the ports, Of the
United States, in spite Of the warn
ings which have been given in the
matter, causes grave anxiety to his
majesty's government"
Mr.. Lansing replied that so far as
he was advised:
Every Case investigated.
Every suspicious case Of vessels
leaving American ports to supply Ger
man cruisers, which has been brought
to the attention Of the United States
with any basis Of fact to support some
such statement, has been fairly in
vestigated. The government OF
the United States therefore feels
obliged to decline to accept any sug-
gestiOns intimating that its vigilance
in the maintenance of its neutral du-
ties under international law has been
relaxed"
A series of communications passed
between the British embassy and the
state department on defensive arma
ment Of merchantmen and the right Of
belligerent merchant ships to leave
neutral ports prepared to arm at sea.
The ruling of the state department
that it was permissible for merchant
ships to arm for defensive purposes
drew forth note from the British en-
bassy on instructions from the foreign
office giving the fullest assurances
that British merchant vessels will
never be used for purposes of attack,
I. that they will never fire unless
first fired upon and that they will
never under any circumstances attack
any vessel" i
Germany Disasrees. T.
The German government took ex-
ception to the view that merchant YES
sells were permitted to defend them
selves against war vessel and argued
that it was question whether or not
armed merchant ships should be adj
mitted into neutral ports at all" Mr..
Lansing's answer was that the United
States held that to permit vessels Of
small armament to enjoy the hospital
ity of American ports as merchant yes
sells was not violation of neutrality.
Nevertheless" the American reply
adds, the government Of the United
States is not unmindful of the fact
that the circumstances of a particular
case may be such as to cause embar.
rassment and possible controversy.
Recognizing, therefore, the desira-
bility of avoiding ground of COM
plant, this government, while frankly