Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-20

1t is pleasure to throw what light we can
on Mr.. Collins's difficulty which turns. in its
final analysis on what constitutes the sort Of
blockade that neutral nations are bound to
respect.
IL was only three days ago, in the first
place. that England had ever declared pur-
pose TO blockade the German coast. Before
that time this country and the world had
been permitted 10 construe England's policy
only III the light of the Prime Minister'S an
nouncement and the order in council. in both
of which the very word blockade was care
fully eschewed. Nor had there been, up to
that time. any deimitation OF the zone In
which neutral vessels became subject to
seizure
international law requires that "a blockade
TO be valid must be continuous and effective
mat means that it must be conducted by war
ships placed and kept sufficiently near to the
enemy coast and to one another actually to
prevent the passage of blockade runners. Oc-
casiona! evasion does not destroy the validity
OF the blockade but it must be- perhaps, as
efficient as the ordinary police force in the
prevention OF crime
That is the sort of blockade that the Fed
"ral government in the War Between the
States maintained at the ports OF the Con-
1ederacy, and international law which had
recognized this method of warfare as legiti-
mate and binding on neutrals forced the
world s acQuieScence III its operation
Even now England does not intend to es-
tahlish blockade of Germany that bears
more than remote family resemblance to
that maintained by the United States fifty
years ago. So far as it is possible to Judge
from the purposely vague terms in which the
declaration OF purpose is couched, it is
planned TO seize neutral shipping on the high
seas north of Scotland, perhaDs or at the
entrance 10 the English Channel or the Medi-
terranean. The doctrine OF ultimate destina-
ton is 10 be applied with rigor. and unless
experience is a poor teacher, a bare suspicion
that part OF a cargo, consigned to a neutral
port, is intended ultimately for the inhab-
tGnts OF Germany or Austria will be held 10
Justify the vessels seizure and conveyance
TO q British port.
While it is true that tho eXigencies of
modern warfare may be taken to warrant the
establishment OF the bockading GORDON far
Their from the enemy coast than was held per
MISSILE under earlier conditions it requires
stretch Of the imagination. as well as of in
ternational law, to regard operations in the
Atlantic Ocean as compliance with the ac-
ceptcd rule
The fact is that Eneands blockade is not
much more than g paper blockade" of very
much the same character as the celebrated
orders in council that brought about the War
OF 1872. This country cannot acknowledge
its validity without violation of American
precedents and traditions
OF course. this discussion Is of the legal
aspects OF the case. AS matter OF morals it
Is as right-or wrong-to starve out Ger
many by one plan by another The differ
cncc is that neutral nations may protest
against infractions of the international code
while compelled TO assent to methods of war
fare based on distinctions, however arbitrary
which that code approves.