Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-03-19
MUST OBSERVE RIGHTS
Of NEUTRAL NATIONS,
UNITED STATES SAYS

Washington. March 19.-The United
States government considers tnat
Great Britain and France III the hrit-
lsh order in council and In the ACCOM-
panying notes have not answered the
questions propounded TO them rs TO
what warrant there is under interna-
tional law for the establishment of an
embargo on all commercial intercourse.
directly or indirectly. between Ger
many and neutral countries, and pro-
test may be sent very soon.
The keynote o. the protest that WI"
90 forward is to be found In the IN
structions sent by Secretary Bryan on
Feb. 10 to Ambassador Gerard NJ her-
lin for delivery to the German govern
ment. This was the note of instruction
I'm which the government expressed
grave concern over the German adm''
ralty's proclamation Of Feb. thnt the
waters surrounding Great Britain and
Ireland. including the whole English
channel were to be considered within
the area Of war.
Here Ia the form In which the key
note was sounded to Germany. Tor the
benefit Of all the helligerents. In the
Bryan note Of Feb. 10:
at ia. of course. not necessary to re-
mind the German government thai fhe
sole right Of helligerent In dealing
with neutral vessels on the high seas Is
limited to visit and search unless
blockade is proclaimed md effectively
maintained which the government does
not understand to be proposed In this
case"
Only Implies Blockade.
The government. 1t is learned. does
not understand that "hlo'kade. as
defined and required by established
rules Of international law. has h+en
procIaimed nv the allies. The order in
council Is regarded hy American nfti-
cials ms the only formal action taken
by Great Britain with respect to the
proposed isolation Of Germany. The
order IN council. II Is pointed out In
hirh quarters here. contains nothing
showing that II is n blockade TINT Great
Britain and her allies are establishing.
II does not use the word blockade or
show that Il Ia blockade exrept by
implication. The position Of American
officials is that the formalities ree,uired
-bs international law must br complied
with to make 1t "proclaimed block
ade'
Officials here insist that as nm nj
temnt to run hlocksde Is a violation
Of international law Involving both shin
and cargo In the severesf nenalties. "
is vitally important that official notif'
cation Of Its existence shonld he con.
veyed to peutrals. In order that they
NAV know when Intercourse with
place or coast becomes Illegal. and their
liability to cnnfure berins. This is con.
sidered very imnOrtant hy officials who
contend that only effective h'ockades
are recognized In international law.
and until de facto hockade is estnh-
lished neutrals nre under no obligation.
In other words. this government
holds that n neutral vessel incnrs no
penalty by entering n port which Is not
actually blocknded bv the ships or hat
teries Of Il hellfcerent under regular
ly proclaimed blockade
Must Give Notice.
There are three wavs In which
blockade can he regularly proclaimed
These are nv proclamation. bv notitica
hon or by both proclamation and noti
fcation. The proclamation must nm
nounce the date on which the blockade
will he estabi.hed. This was the Eng
lish md American practice nrior TO th'
outbreak Of the war in Europe. No
such procin NATION has been issued nv
the order In council. which does moi
even make use Of the word blockade.
1t Is true that the note from Sir Ed
ward Grey explnining the scope and
node Of enforcing the so called block
ade policy makes nse OF the word
"hIockade" five times and indicatee
that It is to he a new form Of hlockade
without confscation Of noncontra h"n1
goods Rut this note Is only y diplo
matte communication to single gov
ernment and is not formal proclama
ton OF blockade.
When n blockade is made known ny
notification n warning Is gwen To neu
tra ships which are about 10 enter
blockaded port Sometimes II Is done
by combi~ation Of the two mefhods
of procla nation and notification
The allies can remedy this phase of
the situation and meet this part Of the
American compliant by actuallv going
through the formaiitv of declaring
blockade even of fhe new kind Ru'
this would not wholly solve the ones
ton II would not dispose OF npntral
trade bound FOR the neutral ports of
1 olland. Denmark and the Baltic m
tions. bnt destined lot Germanv It l.
admitted by American officials that mn
der the doctrine Of continuous voyage
contrahand goods y rtuHlly consigned
through neutral ports to GERMANY may
be stopped and condemned. nut II IL
denied that noncontraband goods. even
when destined to- Germany. can be
rightfuily ste d oven by blockade.
when sent In neutral vessels to neutraI
ports.