The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-02
IALl|ES' MOVE HAS
| NO BASIS IN Law
UNITED STATES WILL MAKE vIGo-
RoUs PROTEST. AGAINST UN-
WARRANTED ACT.


to acQuicsce In Germany's threat
to destroy neutral shipping.
| Inc disastrous effects OF this new
policy and it's legal character are re-
garded here as equaled ynly by the
operations proposed by Germany UNI
! der the recent wa zone decree.
| The result of this latest move of
| Great Britain and France, so far
as the United States is concerned, is
this:
The Washington Government finds
itself confronted win ali of the dan
gers to which it was subjected under
! the German war zone campaign, and
in addition Is now facing the GER
ta'nty that it's merchant vessels. with
cargoes destined for Germany or any
If her allies, will be seized and de-
tanned. In other words United
! Staotes vessels. which under all the
rules andp recedents of International
law, have the right to proceed with
out molestat!on. VIII run the danger
of being toFpedoed and sunk IL they
attempt to reach an English port,
and will be seized and detained II
they carry goods suspected or being
| destined to Germany and her allies.
In Criticar Situation.
1t Is frankly acknowledged here
tonight that United states commerce
! between these two mill stones is in
an extremely critical situation. The
! situation is all the more serious, in
that Great Britain's threat does not
apply solely to cargoes consigned to
! German, Austrian and Turkish ports
but to any which are of presumed
enemy destination. ownership or
origin"
This means that American ship
ments to neutral ports If there Is
reason to suspect that the eargoes
will reach Great Britains enemies be
! detained. Not only this, but ship
ments from Germany, Austria and
! Turkey to the United States. and
other neutrals. will fall within the
ban Of the British French decree.
| The complete trade export and i'm
port, OF the United States with Ger
many, Austria Hungary and Turkey
in 1913 amounted to s5Se coo, 900. OF
course a large part of this was lost
TIN ough contrahand prohibitions af-
/ ter The war began, though trade with
! neighboring neutral countries showed
unusual increases. All this will be
lost under the operation Of the Brit
| ish-French decree.
| In addition, the new British policy
is likely to have a serious effect upon
some industries in the United States
notably the textile industry. which de-
ponds upon patented German prod
ucts, such as dye stuffs.
| Another Blow at Cotton.
! The South with It's supply of cot,
ton. Is likely TO feel more immediately
the effect OF the new policy. In 1913
Germany took 2,561,00Q bales of cot
ton, valued at siss.202,ooo. and Aus.
tria-Hungary also consumed more
than s6,00000o Of the American sta
pie Shipments of cotton to Germa-
ny, which have been proceeding with
considerable freedom recently. will
undoubtedly be completely halted by
the British policy of retaliation.
Z Formal notice of the policy Of re-
taliation adopted by the allies was
brought to his government today by
Jules Jusserund and Sir Cecil Arthur
= Spring Rice, the French and British
ambassadors. They handed to Mr.
, Bryan Identical notes from their gov
ernments, announcing the determine
4 ton of their governments ito hold
+ themselves free to detain and take
into port ships carrying goods of pre-.
sumed enemy destination, ownership
or origin"
This Notice was conveyed today 10
all the neutral governments.
Breaks Up Negotiations.
So far as the United States is con-
cerned. 1t disposes, OF course. of the
negotiations set on foot by this Gov
eminent in London and Berlin look
ing to the granting of neutral con-
cessions by Great Britain and Ger
many IN the interests of the safety
of neutral shipping, and the preser.
walton of neutral trade rights. The
British ambassador presented notice
however. that his Government would
reply later to the American note
though 1t is recognized that this re-
pl. IAN have no effect on the stu
alton. In view of the policy of re-
taliation now initiated by the allies
The scope of the new policy is SO
broad that II II is made effective
all trade with Germany. Austria and
Turkey will be impossible 1t is pro-
posed to seize not only goods which
may be presumed to be of enemy
destination. but also goods owned by
the enemies OF the allies or exported
from their territory. That Is trade
N"t~'een Germany and Austria anG
Turkey and the rest of the world will
even pe impossible by shipments OF
goods In and out through neutral
countries. 1t is generally believed
that the British and French fleets
are in position to make tais most
sweeping prohibition Of trade with
their e~'er1ies absolutely effective.
No Law at All About II.
In the British and French notes an
nouncing this determination on thu
part of the Allies. here is no ever
an attempt to rest this policy upor
any principles of International law
The entire burden OF the argument o
the notes Is taken up with demonstra
ton of how Germany has violated al
international law. international agree
ment, and even the laws OF humanit,
in her proposals, under the war zon,
decree Apparently it Is the inten
ton of the allied governments t
justify their new policy by the lates
Germany policy just as Sir Edwart
Gray notified the United States In
recent note that Great Britain coult
49, he expected 20 remain bound b.
the rules of international law, ant
provisions OF warfare. If her enem.
continued to disregard them.
The British indictment OF the Ger
man war zone operations Is an echo
in less restrained language. OF muci
that was contained In the American
note of protest Ia Germany. but jus
as the United States in that note re
fused to admit what Great Britain
was doing to Germany as iustifca
t'n~ ~ the nro~0~cI German na~a
operations. so with regard to the
n''r \ lies policy il Us improbable