Evening star., 1915-11-08
EDITORIAL COMMENT ON NOTE TO ENGLAND|

! New York Herald: Not by a policy
| of expedlency, Mr.. Lansing urges, but
| by the established rules of interna-
tional conduct should the relations be
tween the two governments be GOV
erned. Upon international law, as this
IeXisted. before the outbreak of the
present world conflict, the government
| of the United States rests its case. In
i behalf of what it holds to he the rights
| of neutral commerce it will bring to
| bear the full strength of its diplomacy.
For fullest reparation for the damage
done to American commerce it Will in
SiSt with all its strength.
| New Yorker Staats Zeitung: "A very
| clear argument. free from all senti-
| mentality, huSinesslike, convincing
| But it does not contain the slightest
| hint as to what our government intends
| to do should Great Britain say in
answer We are of different opinion
| and then proceed. without further ado.
! to continue the practices. called illega
| and unwarranted. TO which the United
states can no longer submit We shall
have to exercise patience and wait to
| see whether England will Condescend
| to instruct its officers to cease the
| lawless methods heretofore practiCed.
rohably we shall be able to
submit bill for damages after the
war, and that seems to he the only pur-
pose of these diplomatic writing eXer-
CiSeS.
| New York Sun, THE note, in the
moderateness of its tone. it's logical
progress and its narShaling of evil
| dence and precedents. reflects exactly
| American sentiment and describes ac-
| curately American purpose. We stand
| upon the law and demand that Great
Britain shall obey that law. and in
| this the administration only expresses the
Will OF the American people
| New York World: ''On such a show
| ing of outrage as is here made. the
! terms of the American protest, which
are lawyerlike throughout, must be
| regarded as exceedingly temperate. To
| gam a military advantage more or less
| important Great Britain has become a
| Srievous offender against its own cher
| iShed principles. against several of
| the small nations of Europe which it
| has assumed to champion and against
| the best and most powerful friend that
| 1t has among the neutralS of the cart h.
| II has not killed Americans; it has
| killed American rights. 1t has done
| more than seize American property: it
mas seized the opportunity thus wan
| tonly gained to extend its own trade
| If even gleam of sense can
penetrate Downing street the British
government must soon perceive that
| unless 1t changes its methods it's own
accountants Will have something to do
presently.
New York Journal of Commerce: NO
| point is left uncovered and no doubt
remains about the position of the
United States, so far as questions of
| what has hitherto been recognized and
acknowledged as international law
II seems to be a question now
| how far the belligerents may consider
| that it will serve their ends in con-
Quoting the war or in making peace to
| keep on friendly terms with the United
| States. That appears to be the ques-
| zion now presented to Great Britain"
| Boston Jourpal Mr.. Lansing has
stated Americas case well, and in so
| doing has spoken for every neutral
nation on earth. We have outlaWed
! the British blockade, condemned the
| British policy of annuliing International
| law. If we fail to bring Britain back
| to place within the established code
we not only incur the enmity of Ger
| many, but we invite the distrust and
the contempt of all other neutrals."
Boston Advertiser: THE note states
the American case very strongly. But,
| for that matter, so. did the note which
| was first sent to Great Britain on this
same subject many months ago. And
at intervals the United States has been
| saying the same thing very logically,
| very powerfully. very urgently-and
without any perceptible effect that any
one can note in changing the British
| policy
! Springfield tMass.) Union: "Our note
| to Great Britain on her Interference
with our commerce is as strong as
| any note we have sent to Germany on
our acknowledged right under inter
national law. 1t is the most effective
answer that could be made to the
charge that we have one kind of
| for Germany, although the purpose was
not to disproVe that charge.
| Our position as a neutral recognizes
no expediency as affordng justification
] frr ha how flfr man e y,rgNl
| cples of international law that govern
civilized nations"
| Springfield Republican: "Our govern
ment's neutrality requires it to play no
| favorites. The President has success
| fully fought out with Germany the
lation to rights of neutral non-com-
| batants Most bitterly has he been
denounced by German sympathiZers
| for favoring Great Britain. it is pos
sible that now he will be denounced
with equal bitterness by British sym
pathiZerS.
at is Enthusiastically the Presidents
desire and policy to be even-handed, to
| stand steadfastly for the principle that
| If neutrals have rights which beliger-
| ents are bound to respect, not one
! belligerent, but all belligerents, shall
| respect them.
| such issues of trading rights as are
involved in the controversy with Great
| Britain cannot conceivably lead to any
rupture of friendly relations between
the two countries. The diplomatic
warning sent to London cannot be re-
garded as disquieting, although there
is iron in it.
| Lewiston (Ne.) Sun: THE liberty
| Secretary Lansing is insisting on is the
| freedom of the seas that has been long
| established and insisted on by England
herself England is setting up a new
kind of blockade and a new method of
search for contraband. The United
States is insisting on her old establish
| ed neutral rights
burlington tVtD Free Press: IF we
could be assured that the administra-
| ton would insist upon immediate ces-
| sa ton of this unwarranted Interference
with our commerce we might overlook
the intolerable delay in demanding the
recognition of American rights and the
freedom of the commerce of the peo
pie of the United States from unwar
ranted interference. What we have to
fear is the continuation of this inter-
| minable argument instead of an ex-
press order to England to stop it,"
| Hartford tConn.) Courant: THE note
is firm without being denunciatory. 1t
| is a strong and logical affirmation OF
| the rights Of neutral countries to main
tain the freedom of the seas among
| themselves in time of war-rights
| which Great Britain has recklessly dis
regarded under the plea of her own
necessities"
Lowell (Mass.) Courier-Citizen: