The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-07-10
ENGLAND AND AMERICAN COM.
MERGE.

leader in the House of Representa-
tives, is quoted as saying that the
foreign policy of the United States has
been dictated by Sir Cecil Spring
Rice and Downing Street in London.
This statement was brought about
by the memorandum received by the
United States from the British gov
eminent on June Oath. Our govern
ment sent protest to London on
March Both protesting against the
seizure of American ships carrying
non-contraband cargoes and destined
for neutral ports. The note was dat
ed March Goth. No response had
been received from the foreign office
save the memorandum of June oath.
In the meantime American ships have
continuously been seized and brought
into English ports. England has an
swered in effect in the memorandum
that the United States has no real
cause for grievance because England
has seized cargoes on board American
ships. The British note or memo
randum contains the following In an
swer to the protest of the United
States:
"His Majesty's government can
scarcely admit that OH the basis of
actual facts any substantial grievance
on the part of American citizens is
justified or can be sustained" One
paragraph of the American note con-
tanned the following: 1.-THE Order in
Council of the 18th of March would
constitute, were its provisions to be
actually carried into effect as they
stand, a practical assertion of unlimit-
ed belligerent rights over neutral COM
merce within the whole European
area, and an almost unqualified denial
of the sovereign rights of the nations
now at peace"
If there is anything in the line of
unnatiOnal correspondence that might
be construed as an insult it certainly
is contained in the answer made this
government and contained in the
British memorandum. It is virtually
denial of Americas rights upon the
sea. The wording of the memorandum
received from Great Britain indicated
that American rights will be invaded
to the maximum point, that point to
be determined only by the amount of
inconvenience which may result to
Great Britain. Viewed in another
sense, the" State Department has been
told that it does not know what it is
talking about. The countries of Hol.
land, Sweden, Norway and Denmark,
with which we are attempting to carry
on trade, have suffered with United
States because of England's piracy.
There is an urgent necessity to deal
with the British policy and to deal
with it in thorough, virile manner
and complaints must be consistent and
the remedy asked must be in proper
ton to the insult received. In the
younger years of our nationhood we
engaged in war with England to
maintain our sovereign rights upon
the sea. We should not let this same
nation deny our sovereign rights one
hundred years after they were estab.
lished.
Anti-war feeling and sympathy is
fast gaining ground in this country.
Peace meetings are not only held, but
the spirit manifested in connection
with them is vigorous. AS evidence
of this the 10000 people who took
part in the anti-war meeting held in
New York City gave evidence to the
sentiment not only against the war
feeling. but against the hand which
the United States has had in promot-
ing the war by furnishing munitions
by which it is carried on. The moral
effect of such meetings is tremendous
and its value can not be over.estimat-
ed. Real American sentiment Is given
an opportunity to express itself and
that sentiment is real and earnest and
not manufactured by the pro- British
press Of the country, and will do more