New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-13
'SCHURMAN ARGUES
FOR SEA FREEDOM
Cornell Head Bames United States tor Not Protesting
When Mines Were Sown-Brtish Stand
on Foodstufs Criticised.

Binehamton, Feb. 12.-President
Jacob Gould Schurman, Of Cornell
University, told the Chamber Of Com
merce here tonight in an address on
"The War and American Rights that
Il was unfortunate that this govern
ment did not protest when Germany
and England sowed mines in the North
Sea, and thus, as he argued, violated
the principle Of the freedom OF the
seas.
"For a belligerent." he said, ITO place
in the high seas instruments OF dam
age. injury and slaughter to the citl-
zens and subjects Of neutral states Is
an invasion of the absolute freedom
of the seas and violation of the equal
rights to the free use of the seas which
all nations enjoy. 1t is no justification
of this practice to say that there IS no
international prohibition against 1t;
The practice Is itself indefensible and
in its effects IL is certain to show II Is
inhuman. The nations OF the world
cannot permit the quarrelsome or
uuarrelling members OF their family 10
monopolize for their conflicts any por-
tion Of the high sea over which none has
sovereignty, but which for that very
reason all are entitled to use on equal
terms.
No Time for Watchful Waiting.
an time of war a great neutral ma
ton, like the United States, IS under
obligation to guard the rights Of neu-
trails with the utmost vigilance and TO
vindicate them with unhesitating cour-
age and frmness. When an established
rule OF international law is violated 1t
is no time for watchful waiting; the
situation demands energetic action and
protest. We certainly cannot submit TO
the stoppage Of our trade with the
North Sea and Baltic countries which,
however, will result if the German
order is to be made as effective south
of Great Britain as the earlier Eng
lish order already is to the north.
"The rights of neutrals are now well
established in international law. Let
me quote from a couple of German au-
thors. Bluntschi declares that FOR
the neutral state the rights OF peace
continue even in relation to the bellig-
erent states though, he adds. this
fundamental rule is modified in con-
nection with blockade, contraband, etc.
Subject, however, to these limita-
tons, Bluntschli again observes that
the citizens of neutral states are en-
titled during war, as in time OF peace.
to carry on trade With the citizens OF
belligerent states And List is, II
anything, still more emphatic, assert
ing that Gin accordance with legal rrin-
ciples which are to-day firmly estab-
lished, the trade of neutrals, even in
time of war, is free. Citizens OF neu-
trail states may carry on free trade on
water and by land not only with one
another, but also with the belligerents,
and not only on neutral territory, but
also on the theatre of war
Blockade Must Be Effective.
"There are only two restrictions on
that trade. One is that American ships
may be visited and searched by cruis-
ers on the high sea for the purpose of
ascertaining whether or not they are
carrying contraband of war. The other
is that American ships may not enter
blockaded ports; but, on the other
hand, il is we'll established rule of
international law that no blockade is
binding unless it is effective, that is,
unless il is maintained by force of
cruisers sufficient really to prevent the
ingress and egress of vessels
ave shall not know until after Feb
ruary IS by what instrumentality Ger
many proposes to destroy the trade OF
England. So far as that trade is car
ried on in English bottoms, Germany
is, of course, entitled to seize them,
and, after rescuing their crews and
passengers, to destroy them if she so
desires. But so far as concerns neu-
trial ships, which are not carrying COM
modities which she has declared con-
traband of war, Germany has no right
to interfere with their free passage to
British ports, unless she establishes
an effective blockade of those ports.
Nothing else whatever could Justify
any interference with our trade with
Great Britain or any other belligerent
nation.
81 refuse to believe the statements
which are now circulating in our news
papers, based apparently on the recent
German decree, that the German gov.
eminent proposes to torpedo and sink
with their cargo, crews and passengers
neutral ships engaged in innocent trade
With Great Britain. Such a step would
be not a declaration of war, but actual
war itself, against the United States.
Must Protect It's Citizens.
1.-THE primary duty of every govern
meHJ IN TelhllOH W loicIBH BoNciH-
ments is to protect its own citizens.
! And II an innocent American life Is
wantonly destroyed by any belligerent
submarine there would, in my opinion,
be an outburst Of Indignation and de-
mand for satisfaction similar to that
which reverberated from one end OF
the country to the other when our
brave American officers and men went
down with the Maine in the harbor Of
Havana.
"The thought Of the United States
being embroiled in this great world
confagraton is one We cannot contem-
plate without deep anxiety and pain
! full solicitude. At all hazards, however
American citizens must be protected
and the potency Of the American flag
es a guarantee of the security of the
lives and property over which 1t waves
indicated and maintained"
President Schurman then discussed
the question of making foodstutfs con-
traband of war, saying:
"The rule of international law Is
that foodstuffs are liable to capture
by @ belligerent only when shown 10
/ be destined for the use of the armed
forces or Of a government department
of the enemy state, and this has been
the constant and almost Underwriting