Evening star., 1915-04-06
REJECTS SBL0CKADE
Of NEUTRAL PORTS
Continued from First Page,

a perfectly fair demand and concludes:
When all is said. England has reason
to be profoundly grateful to America.
The Daily Telegraph in an editoria!
says that it finds in the American note
tendency to discuss the British acts
in an intellectual vacuum and con-
tinues:
We are not fighting so much for the
principles Of international law as Tor
our existence. The American govern
lnent seems to miss this point in the
controversy. We are not restoring TO
similar practice to the Germans. On the
contrary, we are treating al neutral
subjects and interests with Il consider
alton winch moves many persons II.
England to Indignation and eXpostuli-
ton.
These considerations apart. the
Washington government makes an I'M
portant and Valua BILE contri button IN a
suggestion which appears to bear the
Character of an invitation to the allied
governments to declare a formal. long
distance blockade. involving OF neu-
trails all the penalties of attempting to
break through We apprehend that
iurists will contend the proposal in
wolves g far more serious infraction of
international law than the allies pres
ent measures. but the plan certainly is
worthy of a most friendly eXamna-
ton.
Complains of Wilson.
The Daily Chronicle complains that
President Wilson makes no option of
the fact that the neutrals have COM
Dlete immunity from blockade penal
ties. and adds:
This silence seems to us decidedly
the least friendly and least candid
thing that President Wilson has done
in his correspondence with our govern
ment. No doubt the President is in a
difficult position and his note seems to
reflect perplexity by it's very style of
expression
The Daily Graphic fails to draw
distinction between the technical r-
regularities' the British blockade may
involve and the shameless inhuman nifty
of the German methods of warfare
and adds. so long as the President
argues on this basis his arguments
have no interest for the British public.
We have to get on with our business.
The Graphic goes on to advocate the
confiscation of the property of German
subjects in England IF the Germans
continue to take the lives of British
and neutral subjects on the high seas"
The Daily News says: 'The case made
by the United States might be con-
tested in its details, but its general
soundness is indisputable. The argu-
ment that America must be patient be-
principles of liberty is irrelevant. be-
cause the United States is not called
upon to decide the rights and wrongs
of the war.
No Hint of Retaliation.
The object of the note is to put
Americas protest on record and set
down the claim for reparation. There
is no hint of retaliation, much less Of
force. Therefore. complications of a
grave kind are unlikely to follow from
the British policy. Nevertheless. our
government would do well to consider
whether the probable results it's policy
is likely to lead to are worth the In
conveniences involved.
Unless we are mistaken, it is pos
sible to read between the lines Of the
American note suggestions for policy
which would not provoke a protest on
the part of the neutrals and yet might
give us sufficient freedom for the eX-
ercise Of naval pressure on Germany.
These suggestions are the proclama- :
ton of blockade and the extension of
that the government will reconsider
the question in all Its bearings,
Gist of American Note.
The Westminster Gazette. which is
ment, draws particular attention today
to that passage of the American note
in reply to the British order in council
which reads
THE United States takes it for
granted that the approach of American
merchantmen TO neutral ports situated
upon the long line of coast affected
by the order in council, will not be in