South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-03
INQUIRE METHOD
Of BLOCKAD|NG
Cabinet Discusses Marine Sit
uatiOn Caused by British
Declaration But Reaches No
Conclusion.

! WASHINGTON March after a
long discussion Tuesday between the
president and the cabinet Of the note
of the allies. which abolishes trade
with Germany and outlines new
/ practice for the seizure Of all ships
| cargoes whose enemy destination is
presumed, il was announced officially
that no conclusions had been reach
ed, but that the matter was under
consideration"
1t was learned from cabinet mem
bers that this government before de-
Gliding upon a course of action. must
first get an explanation of the man
ner in which the blockade. whether
it be technical or otherwise, is TO be
administered by France. England
and Russia. 1t is expected that full
details will be forwarded at the earli-
est possible moment by the ambassa-
doris at Paris, London and PetrOgrad
viii Insist on Rights of NeutraIs.
Officials say that this government
Will assert and uphold the rights of
American and neutral commerce in
general, Notwithstanding the declara-
ton OF the note of TIE allies. The
attitude Of the government has not
changed in this respect from the time
IL made a similar announcements as
to the John ID. Rockefeller and the
earliest vessels which were seized by
British cruisers.
Prest Wilson talked very freely
Tuesday with callers at the white
house on the subject of the note, but
he did not reveal any definite policy
or indicate what would DE the nature
of any representations that may be
made to the allies.
Says War Rules Can't be Changed.
Pres't Wilson asserted that no ma
ton has the right to change the rules
Of warfare because the methods Of
war have changed. This was gener-
ally understood to mean that the
president holds the Anglo-French
blockade, simply as a reprisal against
an unlawful blockade by Germany,
cannot be defended under internal
tional law. The president stated very
clearly however. that he had not
concluded whether the allies had
actually established a blockade of
Germany, although that seemed to
him to be the general effect OF the
note At the same time he maintain
ed that if vessels should sail in the
face of the warnings of the allies he
ject to the usual war risks Of seizure
and prize courts.
The president conveyed the impress
sion that the whole matter was one
for serious consideration and that he
had not yet had the opportunity to
digest the contents of the cOmmuni-
cation.
Diplomats Seek News.
Members of the diplomatic corps
are interested in the note and some
of them called Tuesday at the state
department for information. They
were told that this government has
not yet determined upon any action
The ministers from Holland. Len
mark and Sweden were at the de-
partment early
one of these diplomats said that so
far as he could see the note of the
allies had not changed conditions ma
terially. He thought that the block
ade of German ports would have to
be respected by all nations because
Great Britain and France undoubtedly
had the power Ito prevent access" to
German ports and that was what a
blockade meant in the last Ga 7lysis".
He argued that the countries near
him could not suffer much more un-
der the new policy than they have
under the regulations which have
pIeNdlleQ up 10 the present.
For a long time" ne said, eve
have had no commerce at all with
Germany either import or export
Our embargOeS on behalf of Great
Britain killed the export and the
British navy has killed imports to us
from Germany"
VIII Await Actual Seizure.
Two very high officials of the state
department said that certainly there
would be no hurry in making any
kind of representations to the allies,
especially in the nature OF a protest
Secy Bryan would not outline the
purpose Of the government, but other
officials said that perhaps the better
plan would be TO await the actual
seizure of an American vessel ION
the presumption" by Great Britain
that she was bound for a port of Ger
many. which the allies say no vessel
can enter. Such a seizure, they say
would develop Immediately the ques-
tons at issue. 1t may be. these Off
Gals say. that the United States will
then make declaration on the line of
what the president limited at Tues
day. namely that no nation has
right TO change the rules of war. SIM
ply because the method is changed.
Some of the officials suspect that
after all. the prize courts will be the
solution of the present note. as OF all
other purposes and practices of the
allies Decisions as to the big points
may he deferred for n very long time