The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1915-02-25
THE WAR ZONE AND
NEUTRAL COMMERCE.

10 that county, unless England !
would permit neutral ships TO 60 |
10 German ports with food for
civilians. The British govern
mcnt refused to accept the com
promise, and "A number of ships !
have already been sent 10 the |
bottom. Neutral shipping has
been duly warned of the danger
of going into the war zone. AS
England is using our flag and
those of other nations on her
ships, Germany has no way OF
telling neutral from belligerent
ships England thus endangers
our commerce and persists in do.
ing 50 10 our detriment. England
IS clearly trying to starve Ger
many, .ad the latter proposes 10
turn the tables by making a war
zone Of the English coast.
In 1893 England determined 10
starvc France. An order was
ISSUED that all provisions destined
Tor French ports should be seiz
ed 10y English ships, surveyed and
taken over by the English gov
rrnmcnt at a price
jefferson made the point that
England should not do this be
cause 1t was violating our neu-
lrality by making US AN instru-
mcni IN starving France.
Treaties and conferences es-
tabllshcd the contention of the
United States in this matter, and
during the last hundred years the
progress IN international law TO-
ward the right of neutrals 10
ship food into countries in a State
of war for use of civilians has
been established.
There are now treaties existing
between the United States and
various countries IN which II Is
ST out that food for civilians ID
not 10 be- considered as contra
band.
Until the present war one of the
stoutest advocates OF this doctrine
has been Great Britain England
clearly defined adherence TO thls
principal during the South Al
rlcan war
Lord Salisbury said Food
stuff, though having a hostile das
tinailOn. can be- considered 10
coniraband of war only if they
are for the enemy s forces; II D
not sufficient that they are capa
bile of being used. II must b.
shown that this was in fact then
destination az the time of thell
seizure.
Germany says that II neutral
ships carrying noncontrahandi
are IN those waters and they arr
destroyed by submarines, thei
there can be- no redress. The po
sition of Germany Is that the
submarine cannot await 10 as
certain the identity of the ship.
The very fact of declaring
sea territory 10 be a war zon'
is 10 Germany $ mind sutiicien
warning 10 all neutrals to keel
out
In the old days before ship
| of commerce were destroyed, tn,
passengers and crew were TAX
On off
There Is not room IN a subma
rine for anyone else than im
crew. and If a submarine come
TO the top of the water for thl
purpose of inspection, shell fro,
q thrcc-mch gun with which at
British merchantmen are armed
exploded in It's interior can dc
stroy 1t
IT, United States contends tina
u has right in war zones Will
IFS neutral commerce and that lh
. submarine must ascertain the
IDENTIFY of ship before destroy
ing it. and that ii the submarn'
cannot do 50. then the submarine
must not act Here is when
proper use of flags would sa
the neutral ships.
Both the English and German
principles are clearly in defiant'
of wcI.established internatlona
q customs.
Now. if We lose a ship, who d
To blame