The Washington times., 1915-03-18
j. s. PLANNING
new PROTEST
ON BLOCKADE
Government Marks Time While
/ Legal Experts Inquire Into
Allies Position.

while Government legal experts ex-
snnined a long line of precedents the Ad-
ninistration marked time today in its
International policy.
The position taken by the allies, that
they actually have established a Tong
range blockade Of German ports. the
action being made necessary by the
Ga10sA tons in war methods. has
r0sed q suske. = President Wilson
wants completely ~ red up before any
new action Is taken.
1t has been decided to protest against
the latest Anglo-British position. The
note is based on the claim that the al
lies have the right to stop German
owned or German manufactured cargoes
wherever encountered. The exact ma
ture Of the protest may not be ftlly de-
cided on before the end of the week.
Comment Withheld.
In making public the text Of all Of the
correspondence with the belligerents the
State Department withheld comment on
future plans But officials point out
that while Germany plainly is In a con-
ciliatory mood, the allies take the po-
sition that they will stand pat in all
their plans to starve out their foe.
And they make 1t plain that they are
standing on the doctrine of right of
might
Germany, in her latest note to the
United states, accepted conditionally.
practically every suggestion made
England fatty rejected all sugges-
tions that this country should have
the right to feed the non-combat tants
in Germany. 1t charged fatty that
since the war began Germany has
violated all rules of international
warfare; has been guilty of the most
fragrant atrocities in Belgium has
treated british prisoners Of war in a
ing mines on the high seas; has sunk
ships carrying passengers and food
without legal right, and has bonn
barded unfortifed British coast
starvation. policy as n proper answer
to Germany's announced submarine
blockade.
The one significant declaration in
all Of the correspondence Is the state
ment by France and England that
they will confine their operations to
he European theater Of war. This
is admittedly n concession, but ofti-
cials say that 1t does not go far
enough.
In discussing the situation high
officials declare that while it is
frausht with danger they, hone that
eventually concessions will he made
which Will satisfy this Government.
We are moving through an unchart-
ed sea, said one of the President s
chief advisers. Just how far we may
20 in our protests is a matter which
must be thought out carefully. So nu-
merous are all of the questions raised
that It viii take US several days to
IA ct at
NO goods designed for Germany arc
at present in transit. other than cotton
which already has been assured Of an
uninterrupted passage. And we do not
shipments now oh~the high seas. or
being loaded in Holland. OF German
goods consigned to the United States
that already have been paid for and
title to which already has been trans
ferred. 1t may be that only a general
protest will be filed, and that then
we will wait and treat each individual
case as 1t arises. The very fact THAI
England and France accept the prin-
cipie that they are enforcing a blockade
Will aid us in our future negotiations"
Force Out of Question.
1t looks now as if the best this Gov
ernment can do. short Of actual meas
ures of force. which are out of the
question. would be to set forth its pro-
test with the view to claims for repa-
ration in the future. At the same time
each case of seizure of cargoes and
stoppage of vessels will be dealt with
with as much care for the welfare of
American interests as possible.
Meanwhile other neutral powers are
protesting. Denmark, Norway. and
Sweden are said to have made identical
protests against the allies blockade
and the government of the Nethe Glands
is taking counsel with the United States
and considering joint action.
Unquestionably there are strong objec-
tions which can be made against the
order from the standpoint of intorna-
tional law, But, on the other band,
there are some points in which the order
Is strong and extremely skllful.