New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-15
Vigorous Protest Calls
Descartes' Acts Fla
grant Violations.
CITES TRENT CASE
TO BACK CHARGE
Neutral Rights Would Be Empty
Words Under Such Procedure
Lansing Declares.

Washington, Dee. IA note Vgor-
ously protesting against the removal
bv the French cruiser DescarteS OF SIX
Cermans and Austrians from the
American steamships Carolina, Coamo
and San Juan was csbled 70 Amosssa-
dor Sharp at Paris to-day for presenta-
,;or n the French Foreign Office. I'M
r.d,ate release OF the men is asked on
The Ground that the seizure OF citizens
81 Anv nation from an American veSsei
cn tho high seas Is without legal juSa-
faction and constitutes fragrant Vio-
lation Of American rights.
Tho note was dispatched by Secre-
tarv Lansing with the full approval
~ President Wilson. 1t also Is under
.,ood N have been discussed by the
President with his Cabinet at to-days
meeting.
Couched in friendly terms, the com
ui..lon states the American point
Of view emphatically, and cites prece-
donts employed IN the case Of August
Piepenbrink. a German, who was re-
,,oy.d from the American ship WIND
~ nv the French cruiser Condo IN
November Of last year, and released
after representations by the United
States.
Were Not of Armed Forces.
At,.ption Is directed 70 the fact that
the men removed from the ships were
,ot subodied in "the armed forces OF
the enemy" as that term IS used III
the Declaration Of London. 1t is as
serted. however, that there lie no JUST
6cation for the removal Of subjects OF
a nation which is an enemy OF France
from an American vessel on the hlgh
seas hound TO q neutral port, even II
they could properly be regarded as
military persons. ,,.
To support this position, II Is under
stood. the note points to the rule se'
down by the French Minister OF FOR
cisn Affairs in note sent during the
Civil War 20 the French Minister 10
the United States in regard TO the re-
ers Mason and Slidell from the steam
shin Trent This note. considered es-
pecially applicable to the present S''u-
alton, said:
She tthe Trent was carrying her
cargo and her passengers to neu-
trail country. and, moreover, she had
taken them on in a neutral port II
II were admissible that under such
- conditions the neutral flag did not
completely cover the persons and
merchandise which il was transport
ing. its immunity would no longer be
anything but an empty word. AT
any time the commerce and naviga-
ton Of third powers would have TO
suffer from their harmless or even
indirect relations with one or the
other Of the belligerents, the latter
would no longer be entitled merely
TO require entire impartiality of
neutral and 70 forbid him from in
terfering in any way in the hostili-
ties, but they would place upon his
freedom Of commerce and navigation
restrictions the lawfulness of which
modern international law has refused
TO admit.
Possible Dispute Seen.
Tho text of the American note, which
is said TO be brief, probably will be
made public when word Of its delivery
TO the French Foreign Office is received
by the State Department.
officials Of the State Department ap-
parently think that the French govern
ment may see AZ to contest the asser-
lions of the United States, and that the
men will not be released until further
communications have passed between
the two governments. This opinion ia
lased on the assumption that the COM