Evening journal., 1915-03-18

We regret the general condemna-
ton in the American press OF the
reprisals against Germany announced
by the Prime Minister. That policy
was certain 10 provoke criticism.
but the objections urged against it
iu the Unitcd States ana In other
countries whose trade interests it az
fects are largely founded, we fancy,
upon misrepresentation. Americans
have been described as "prO-Gcrman'
in England and denounced as pro
l,ritish' Ia Germany IL seems 10 us
that their attitude on the reprisals
question. like their attitude upon all
previous questions. is intended to he
quite impartial Their sympa,hies, as
we learn by a thousand signs, are very
heartily with us. so far as the over
whelming majority are concerned.
But they have not allowed their SYM
pathies to deileet them from the real
neutrality" at which they have aimed
from the first. They have shown all
along a neutral and legitimate anxiety
that their rights as neutrals should
meet with due regard. That feeling
was very manifest i'm The substance
and in the tone of their reply to the
German proclamation of piracy. It
obviously underlies and inspires a
good deal of the newspaper comment
upon the British counter stroke. II
is a feeling which Englishmen, with
their long tradition in favor of the
rights of trade. cannot but respect.
We have been extremely careful,
as Sir Edward Grey has pointed ont
in his replies 10 the American mote
of December IS, to safeguard those
rights so far as the manifest Deces-
stiles of our own military position
would have allowed We do not in
tend to depart from that usage. But
while we are confident that the mea'
ures we shall adopt may be reconciled
with tho fundamental principles of in
ternational law as applied to the
wholly new state of circumstances
which has arisen in the present
struggle. and which has eliminated
for the present. in the German claim
! TO sink all vessels in the war zone
without examination, we admit in tn
| words of Sir Edwards last despatch
that we may have TO take belligeren
| action "in various ways which ma.
at first sight be regarded as a de
( parture from old practice Ameri
cans have studied the common Law
which is part of their and our join
I Inheritance too long and too well no
to know that the adjustment Of ol'
principles to new conditions is of tn
essence of legal progress.
That the conditions of tho prescn
contest are utterly different tror
those of the past wars in which inter
national law has mainly developed {,
the stage now laid down in the tex
books cannot be denied. A very lar9l
part of it was evolved before or dur
ing the conflict with Napoleon Grea
armies were engaged on both sides
but il was only toward the end of tn
struggle that ScharnhOrsts idea of N
alarmed nation was realized. la thi
war an the continental armies ar
cOnscripi armies raised IN accOrdanc
with that idea This single circpm
stance gCCs long way TO destroy i'll
old distinction between the arme
forces OF nation and the civil popu
lation. VI the army is the people j
arms" food Tor tho people is Dece'
sarily, TO a great extent food Tor tll
army. Foods may be imported ic
the use of civilians, but il is quit
certain that if the army wants thel
1t will take them. The German deer,
of January %. placing all importc
grain and flour under governmet
control, introduces another elemel
into the question for which there is n
precedent. The subsequent modiiici
ton of February 6 Goes no5 appear
be material. The decree in efie
makes the German government u
ultimate consignoe OF all import'
foodstuns How can any preceden
or any rule based upon precedent, Il
permitting cOnsignmerts to civihal
and for civilian use be wrested TO d
fond consignments which the enen
government have announced that th'
will seize? Several continental po'
ers have always maintained tina. TOO
stuffs are liable to seizure. When q
present German GWernment Il
nounces such seizure as "murderou
and "inhuman." neutrals should I
member that two German chancello
I'm succession. Bismarck and Capri
defended it in the strongest and mo
comprehensive terms, that German