The sun., 1915-02-27
LAWS OF WAR.
Changes In Them Must Be Reflected
in International Law.


To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN---Sr:
When nations are engaged in SUCH a war
as that now going on In Europe 1t is
well II neutrals keep In mind the fact
! that the first great and fundamental law
/ governing the actions Of their belligerent
neighbors Is that OF necessity or self
preservation.
Municipal constitutional or interna-
| tional law must give way. II need be. to
this law Of self-preservation, and the
| belligerent nation IL not true to itself
| that does not exercise entire freedom in
| the use OF force to save its life. All that
! the neutral has a right to expect 10 that
he will not be injured deliberately or
wantonly
International law and the rules OF war
are a vague, hazy, changeable set OF
regulations that have little binding force
upon a successful belligerent outside his
sense OF honor and the sentiments OF
humanity engendered by his state OF civ
! ilization In a life and death struggle
| he VIII interpret the law always In his
favor. belligerent should not be
blamed in this war II he refuses to be
bound by antiauated provisions for reg
ulating his conduct We should recol-
! lect that the developments of the last
twenty years have revolutionized meth
ods OF conducting warfare: II is there
fore to be expected that International
law adapted to former times must
change to suit modern conditions.
Thus we find Great Britain recognizing
that the rules affecting sea borne food
which were laid down before the present
railroad development are now insult
able
Sir Edward Grey in hs admirable
paper therefore states, THE advent OF
steam power has rendered II as easy for
a belligerent to supply himself through
tNe ports OF a neutral contiguous coun-
/ try AS through his own, and therefore
rendered Il impossible for his opponent
| to refrain from Interfering with COM
merce intended for the enemy merely be-
cause II is on its way to neutral port
This means that II is lawful for bel
ligerent to stop any movement OF food
At sea n such movement contributes to
the subsistence OF the hostile nation.
surely England is the last country in
the world that could admit that there
could he such a.principle OF interns-
tonal law. Another thing that was not
stated BY Sir Edward Grey but no doubt
greatly Influenced him. is that, due to
the development OF submarines. the days
/ of blockades are gone. Gun power and
warship speed give England complete
/ command OF the seas, except the waters
surrounding Germany within the radius
| ~ submarine operations All rules af
fecting biockades no longer apply, there
fore.
We must expect that Great Britain
in order TO starve the German nation
will stop movements OF food that will
contribute 10 the subsistence OF the Ger
man people even though consigned to
lcr neutral neighbors. She Will starve
these neutral neigt bors too. il necessary
TO reach Germany, just as Germany
! marched her armies over Belgium to
reach France when such a course was
necessary 10 develop the frontage her
huge armies required
Turning - Germany we End an uneN-
pecteliy powerful weapon in her hands
that was not known In former wars
The advent Of the submarine calls on
us To rewrite our manuals both Of sea
warfare and coast defence. and Incl
dentally to revise chapter in nterna-
tlonal law Tho submarine cannot hail
a passing vessel 10y firing a shot across
her bows. board her. ascertain her neu-
tral or hostile chara ter and finally place
I q prize crew on her and conduct her 20
a home port. Submarines coming to the
surface are vulnerable and helpless even
with tie force AT the command os a
well manned merChantman. although un-
der sen they destroy capital ships with
not been tried but bids fair to be- ef-
fective. so this power will he used
whether neutrals like II or not. unless, OF
I course neutrals can check Il by inter
ven ng with arms In the war.
In their replies 70 the United states
therefore. England states that the condi-
tious OF war have changed go she must
interpret International law TO conform
to these modern conditions while Ger
] ma ~ afu n ba nf lasrn , ipp 10
says the same thing Surely great
weight should he given 20 this argumen,
when hoth contending nations agree
upon IL. and surely this country which
lately showed such remarkable patience
with two wrctched groups OF com
hatants on our southern border in per
. mitting them 20 fight for weeks. prac'
, ticallY on American soil, recklessly ant
, wantonly killing and wounding Ameri
, cans In their own homes day by day
will not think OF becoming involved or
, account OF violated principles Of inter
! national law. shadowy. Changeahle rules
not adapted to present or future wars
So long as the warring Powers in ex
erting their might to DESTROY each oths'
do no. carelessly or recklessly injur'
neutrals, and make all possible rcpara
ton for injury unavoidahly committed
we should he content
our misfortune II that we have ere
sted a state Of feeling in the warm!
2 countries by threatening them the dam
b, age that has been done, wears NJ care
. ful statesmans', p will not entirely over
come. Just as Great Britain has not ye
overcome the impression made upon thi
country by her foolish clustering Off
cials during the civil war.
e. e. roRn
WASHINGTON, n C., February os