Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-06-12

lrchasers.
States and Great Britain. The cases
are different. but even If they were the
same it would be necessary to treat
with each nation separately. My per-
sonal preference has been to repeat
our insistance that the allies shall not
interfere with our m with neu-
trail countries. but the difference on
this point was a matter of judgment
and not a matter of principle. In the
note to Great Britain. dated March 80,
this government said:
In view of these assurances for
mally given to this government, it is
confidently expected that the extern
sive powers conferred by the order in
council on h executive officers of the
crown will be restricted by orders
issued by the government" directing
the exercise of their discretionary pow
ers in such a mi as to modify in
practical application those provisions
of the order in council which, IL
strictly enforced, would violate neutral
rights and interrupt legitimate trade.
Relying on the faithful performance
OF these voluntary assurances by his
MaJesty's government, the United
States takes it for granted that the
approach of American merchantmen
to neutral ports situated upon the
lci6 llilS VI COAST d1eCIeu DN the OTQeT
in council will not be interfered with
when it is known that they do not
carry goods which are contraband of
war or goods distined to or proceeding
from ports within the belligerent ter
ritory affected
Wanted to Steer Germany
There is no doubt that our govern
ment will insist upon this position;
that is an important thing, the exact
data .nf tho nnfn &c not r,nfnrfn M
reason for desiring to have the matter
presented to Great Britain at once was
not that Germany had any right to
ask 1t, but because ] was anxious to
make 1t as easy as possible for Ger
many to accept the demands of the
United States and cease to employ sub
marines against merchantmen.
There is no reason why any Ger
man-Americans should doubt the
Presidents intention in this matter.
] am sure that every one will, on re-
Election, recognize that our duty to
prevent loss of life is more urgent than
our duty to prevent interference with
trade-loss of trade can be compen-
stated for with money. but no settle
ment that the United States n Ger
many may reach can call back to life
those who went down with the Lusi-
tania-and war would be the most
expensive of all settlements because
II MOull 61OTIlOuSlN aQQ. 10 the NUM-
Der of the dead.
FOURTH hope that Germany will
acquiesce in the demands that have
been made and / hope that she will
acquiesce In them without conditions.
She must trust the United States to
deal justly with her in the consid-
Grafton of any changes that she may
propose in the international rules that
govern the taking of prizes. The more
generously h acts in this matter the
greater will he the glory which she will
derive from it. She has raised a uues-
ton which is now receiving serious
consideration, namely, whether the in
PRODUCTION OF the submarine necessi-
tates any change in the rules govern
ing the capture of prizes.
The position seemingly taken by
Germany, namely, that she is entitled
TO drown noncombatants because they
ride with c~ontraband, is an untenable
position; the most that she could insist
upon is that, in view of the intro
d%uction of his new weapon of war
fare. new rules should be adopted
separating passengers from objection
able cargo.
If the use of the submarine justifes
such q change in the law of blockade
as will permit the Gordon to be with
drawn far enough from the shore to
avoid the danger of submarine attack,
may l. " We lOuHu possible 10 secure
an international agreement by which
passengers will be excluded from ships
carrying ~contraband, or at least from
those carrying ammunition? 1t would
require but a slight change in the ship
ping laws to make this separation and
belligerent nations might be restrained
from unnecessarily increasing the con-
traband list If they were compelled to
carry contraband on transports as they
now carry troops.
Personally. / would like to see the
use of submarines abandoned entirely,
just as ] would like to see an abandon
ment of the use of ~aeroplanes and
Zeppelins for the carrying of explo-
sives, but I am not sanguine enough to
believe that any effective instrument
of warfare will be abandoned as long
as war continues.
The very arguments which the adj
vocates of peace advance against the
submarine. the aeroplane and the Yep
pelin are advanced in favor of them by
those who conduct a The more