The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-02-18

warranted exercise Of power. There
are preceder;s, but we believe it TO
be the fact that practically all Of them
have been made by Great Britain it
self. That fact is unimportant, how
ever, since the repeated exercise Of
the power itself has established usage
and custom which have come to be
recognized as right under the laws
OF nations.
But, if the dispatches Of yesterday
are TO be fully relied upon, Great
Britain is attempting an extension and
enlargement OF this right which is
open TO serious question and objection.
1t is said to be a part Of the official
announcement to be made, that here
after food laden ships sailing directly
from the United States for German
ports, or for neutral ports in Europe
where it appears that the cargo may
ultimately reach Germany, will be
subject to seizure outright, ship and
cargo, without compensation" II is
probable that the official phraseology
Of the Britain note will be found to be
much less sweeping and arrogant in
tone and demand. II not. and il the
advices reaching the State Depart
ment at Washington are Of like tenor
with the dispatches, then it is not to
be wondered at that the State De-
par,ment is considering this latest an
pouncemen. of the British Govern
ment, but has thus far not committed
itself" The matter is too serious to
be prematurely discussed or precipit-
ate!y acted upon. The government
should wait for the official communi-
cation. Should this bear out The un-
official forecast in making a
bare assertion of belligerent
right to and hold non-con-
traoand cargoes shipped to neutral
cocntries, without any proposal of ways
and means OF ascertainipg the good
intent Of the shippers, for fixing the
burden Of proof, or finding a basis for
the payment oI compensatory damages,
there should be little delay at Wash
ington in vigorously protesting such
bigh-handed proceedings against the
interests and rights Of neutrals.
While there may be reason to hope
that the official plonouncement will
less Objectionable, and more possible
Of acceptance, paragraph in Sir
Edward Grey's preliminary reply to
our recent representations against
violations Of neutral rights makes that
hope less. In that COMMUNICATION
when dealing specifically with cotton
shipments, the noncoutraband charac-
ter Of which he admitted, Sir Edward
asserted some rights Of belligerent in
seizure, search and detention which
fell but little short OF the position his
government is now reported to have
taken. Such sweeping and arbitrary
exercise Of beligerent powers against
noncontraband cargoes destined to
neutral ports would not fall short oI
putting the United States out Of the
world markets, as a neutral, much
more completely than Great Britain, a
belligerent, has been put out OF them.
How far the contemplated purchase
by this government Of merchant
marine has influenced such action at
London is another question in the
case. The right OF blockade Of an
enemy's ports need not be disputed,
exercise Of such right does not in
cluGe one 10 seize noncontraband
goods when shipped from one neutral
country to another under a suspicion
that all or par: may eventually reach the
people who are being starved out. It
is announced that the ship Wilhel-
nina, loaded with foodstuifs sent from
St. Louis to Germany, will be seized,
the cargo paid for, and the vessel
released. This action is with in the
right OF the British Government ir
carrying out its starvation policy
Whether OF not the people Of thi:
country relish such a policy, they
recognize it to be right OF Grea
( Britain, as an act Of war. But the,
/. will insist that they, as people a
peace with all the world, cannot b.
made parties to starving out any othe
people a step farther than law ant
!, custom demand. Globe Democrat.