TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1915-08-19
Britain,a Naxt Star.

4
one Of the most remarkable in the his
tory Of naval warfare. 1t was in effcc
that the British and French govern
ments would thereafter hold themselves
free TO detain and take into port ship
OF proved destination, ownership ol
origin. We now understand what wa
meant. IL came March ], just as con
gress was about to adjourn. 1t reached
us March 2, when We closed our work
and nobody noticed IL. No reference
was given to it.
II did not for moment suppose that
1t really meant that Great Britain ex
peeted to stop exports from Rotterdan
to the United States because, perhaps
the merchandise was produced in Ger
many. From that day forward she
assumed the right to seize any goods
upon the sea produced in Germany. You
might have bought them ninety days
before. The merchandise was the pro-
perty Of United States citizens in a
neutral port. But Great Britain and
France assumed the right to seize such
merchandise on the ocean il they were
presumed TO be of German origin.
1T was one Of the most flagrant and
inexcusable violations OF neutrals' rights
that the records OF naval warfare fur.
nish.
"on March ~ Great Britain pub.
lished the celebrated order in council
that announced In five separate propo-
sitions the policy OF Great Britain and
the purpose TO stop the commercial
rights OF neutrals. II was served upon
our state department March 10. IL
took me q day or two OF time TO realize
fully what it meant. When completely
grasped 1t felt that the time for de.
tailed negotiations had passed and the
only thing TO be done was 10 say to
Great Britain. Revoke the order. You
tramplc upon the sovereign rights OF the
people OF the United States as neutral
country. You cease TO treat us ss neu'
trails, and II you maintain II you shall
have no more neutral commerce with
u.s.
''on March 30 our state department
sent letter TO Great Britain upon this
subject and notified Great Britain that
this order in council trampled upon the
sovereign rights of the people Of the
United States. and II might have added
OF all neutral peoples.
Defense Not valid.
Then came the note OF Aug. 4. While
somewhat lengthy, It can be divided
into two classes: First, we are not
justified In what We do, but We are
doing it as q retaliatory measure To-
ward Germany. That defense is not q
defense. No belligerent has q right 10
violate the trade of y neutral simply to
retaliats against an enemy. And i say
that, whether the violation OF the rights
OF a neutral Be q British violation or
whether IL be q German violation,
care nothing for the country that does
1t. j protest against any violation Of
our rights.
"The second excuse is the one which |
i especially wish TO bring 10 your at
tention. The second excuse is that the
United States government during the
civil war blocked neutral ports and in
handling its war with the Confederate
states was guilty Of disregard Of inter
law in manner similar TO that
in which Great Britain was conducting
its treatment OF US in her present war.
81 assert the right OF an American
citizen TO ship all the goods he wishes
10 ship TO Rotterdam and then to skip
the goods on by rail TO Germany IL he
wishes. II you buy goods in Germany
and wish to ship them from Rotterdam
here, under no classification can the
character Of those goods give right to
4 belligerent to seize them, and assert
that every time Great Britain touches
4 vessel with goods belonging 70 you
sailing from Rotterdam here she vio'
Iates the sovereign rights Of the citi-
zens Of this country. And IL IL were
Germany doing IL instead Of England
" would denodnce the action Of Germany
with just as much pleasure as do that
oi Great Britain
Senator Smith quoted at length from
the court decisions in the Peterhof case,
where the United States supreme court
held that the American blockade did not
extend 70 Matamoras, Mexico, although
that port was right next door to an
enemy port.
"If anybody stands before you and
'ays there Is precedent standing In
,ur courts sustaining the attitude OF
treat Britain silence him with what
baye just told you"
Senator Smith said that it was Eng
and which long ago declared that cot
;on was one OF the things wich should
ieyer be declared eontraband. In the !
ace Of that, he added, British war yes
els have been seizing American cotton
argoes. :
All Neutral Rights Dis h
reQarded z