The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-11-08

curtailment of its neutral rights by
measures which are admittedly retalia-
tory and therefore Illegal
3. That it Unjust insist = that the re.
iations between it and the British gov
eminent be governed, not by a policy
of expediency, but by established rules
of international law.
4. That it unhesitatingly assumes
the task of championing the integrity
of neutral rights and will devote its
energies to that end.
The note as a whole is vigorous de-
nunciation of the British govern
ment for the illegality of its measures
in regard to neutral shipping. 'With-
out justification, - ineffective. stil-
legal 'indefensible and Gin viola
tion Of the law of nations are some
of this government s Characterization
of the British practices.
Contrasted with the notes to Ger
many in the submarine controversy
the communication to Great Britain.
however, contains no phrases ~jIch as
strict accountability, - evil omit no
word or act'' and similar expressions
used by the President in pressing his
demands on Berlin. The note to the
London foreign office is devoid of
implications, such as were contained in
the German notes, of drastic action
by the United States in the event that
the grounds of complaint are not re-
moved. The note to Great Britain. as
viewed here, still shows this government
at a loss for means with which TO brin q
upon England any stronger pressure
than that of diplomatic representations.
That the note will be read in com
parison with the communications to
Germany and that it will be studied in
Berlin for proof of Partially toward
the belligerents is realized in official
circles here. The administration holds,
however, that it was impossible to ad-
dress Great Britain in quite the same
manner as Germany in the submarine
issue for the reason that the latter con-
troVersy involved question of human
lives, while the issues with Great
Britain concern only property rights
In the latest communication to the
British foreign office are, however
many evidences of the aim of this gov.
eminent to treat all belligerents on ex
actly the same footing, SO far al de-
mands upon them to observe interna
u
In this note the United States ac
cepts even more frankly than in the
controversy with Germany the role
OF champion of neutral rights in the
present war. Secretary Lansing saws:
1T is of the highest Importance t.
neutrals not only of the present day
but of the future that the principles OF
international right be maintained nm
impaired. This task of champion
ing the integrity of neutral rights which
have received the sanction of tn,
civilized world against the lawIess con
duct of belligerents arising out of RI,
great conflict which is now wasting tn,
countries of Europe, the United State
| unhesltatlngly assumes. and to the &c
compIshment of that task it will do
vote its energies, exercising ALWAYS tina
lmpartiality which from the on+breal
OF the war it has sought to exercise !,
Its relations with the warning nations. ;
The British governments is .summone,
TO obedience of international law in RI,
following sentence, regarded here as tn
/ strongest in the entire note:
| The government of the United State
| desires, therefore, to impress most earn
estly upon his majesty government
that it must insist that the relation
between 1t and his maiesty's govern
ment be governed, not by a policy o
expedlency, but by those establishe
rules of international conduct upo1
which Great Britain in the past ha
held the United States to account wbe,
the latter nation was a belhgerent en-
gagged IN struggle for national e1
| istence. -
The note contains more than 1000
words. 1t includes among other OK
hlb1ts long list of neutral ships wbic1
have been illegally interfered with b,
the British. This list, with the detail
IN each case, constitutes, in effect. IN
indictment against Great Britain o.
winch the note proper is based.