Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1915-03-15
(From The Irish World)
LNGLAND'S CONTEMPT FOR
AMERICAN RIGHTS.

/ OlOSS luSlltS 10 lnc american
Flag-American Ship With Nom
Contraband Cargo Dragged Cap
tive to an English Port-American
Farmers and Cattle Raisers De-
prived of the Right TO Sell and
Ship Their Products to NOn-COm-
batant Populations - Our Com
merce and Sea Prestige Must BE
Defended-May Bring About
War Between America and Eng
land
(William Bayard Hale, writer OF
the following letter addressed to
the New York Tribune, was selected
by President Wilson to represent the
United States in arranging the Mex
lean troubles. He has the reputation
of being exceptionally well informed
in regand to international law and is,
therefore fully competent to pass
judgment on England's flagrant
violation of it. His criticism OF the
pro-English policy of the intensely
pro-English New York Tribune is
well founded. l. W.)
Sir: From the standpoint of abso-
lutte neutrality between Great Bri-
tain and Germany, / am nevertheless
constrained to put it to the Tribune
that in Illuminating against what, in
complete indifference to the facts,
it describes as the German paper
blockade, +" the German lynch law
threat" the German arrogant in
vasion Of neutral rights" the Ger
man relapse toward barbarism," it
is surprisingly uncomplimentary to
the understanding of the American
people.
Does the Tribune believe that any
considerable proportion of us are ig
GRANT OF the fact that in it's order OF
February 4, Germany was only do
ing what Great Britain had done
precisely three months before? Does
the Tribune believe that we are
unaware that the first version OF
the order cabled to New York was a
false one, representing as included
within, and not Cas- in fact it was)
excluded from, the danger zone a
thirty mile strip along the Dutch
coast? Does the Tribune believe that
we are so dull as not to have
noticed that the English order clos
ing the North Sea became effective
after twenty-four hours notice,
while the German order closing the
British Channel was effective only
after fifteen days notice?
Does the Tribune really expect
any considerable part OF its ellen
tele to accept its editorial denun-
tiation Of the German policy of at
tacking neutral ships, when every
declaration of the German govern
ment declares that only ships of
Great Britain and her Allies are to
be treated as enemies, and that neu-
trail ships will not be touched?
England the Real Aggressor.
Does the Tribune expect us to for
get that it is England which is
zeizing American ships and other
neutral ships at sea and dragging
them captive to her ports; that it is
England which denies American
farmers and cattle raisers the right
to sell and ship their products in
American bottoms to the non-com
batant populations of Germany and
Austria; that it was England which
hauled down the American flag on
the American ship Greenbrier and
took her igonminiously captive
that it is England which refuses to
| allow Americans to buy q foreign
vessel the Dacia, in good faith, Sc
cure American registry and sail the
seas protected by the American
flag; while it is the same England,
which, either in fear or in an at
tempt to involve the United States
in war, appropriates our national
emblem and under its protection
flees through her own waters from
the foe with which she seeks to em-
broil us?
Complaisance Under English AFRO
gance May Bring About an
Anglo-American War.
Some Of us are concerned not in
the least as to the conflict now be-
ing waged in Europe. but very much
indeed as to the maintenance of an
attitude of real neutrality between
the combatants, together with the
preservation Of the rights that be-
long to neutrals 1t is due no
doubt, to the naval superiority OF
Great Britain over Germany, and to
the policy consequent upon that
superiority, but, to whatever cause
it is due, it is the simple fact that
the neutrality OF the sea and the
rights of neutrals at sea have been
attacked only by Great Britain and
her Allies so far in this war No
! doubt II the relative naval positions
Of Great Britain and Germany were
reversed, 1t would be Germany that
would be attacking our commerce
and contempting our flag at sea.
| But by whomsoever our sea COM
merce and our sea prestige is at
tackled, against him it must be de-
Tended
An editorial policy such as that
which the Tribune is pursuing
/ arouses in me. as an American citi-
zen Indifferent to the outcome Of
the war abroad. the gravest anxiety
lest our complaisance under the ar
rogance OF Great Britain may tempt
it to steps which may at last arouse
this country to dangerous tenn
! per.