New-York tribune., 1915-03-18
Unyielding in Purpose to
Stop German Trade Full
Correspondence Shows.
GERMANY'S ANSWER
ALSO GIVEN OUT
Text Published of Her. Qualified
Consent to Proposals
from Washington.
From Tho Tribune Bureau !

Washington, March 17.--Great Brit
ain and France intend to "stand pat"
on the enforcement of the recent Order
in Council shutting off all trade to and
from Germany, regardless Of any pro-
test or representations by the American
government. This was made plain to-
day through the publication by the
State Department of the series Of notes
which have passed between this coun-
try, Great Britain, France and Ger
many within the last month.
The Allies assert that every effort
will be made to protect the rights Of
neutrals, but they are insistent that all
commercial intercourse with Germany
shall be stopped. The British and
French notes make it plain that they
are driven to this procedure because of
the German war zone decree and vari-
Gus other acts alleged to be contrary
to the rules Of warfare.
Assurance that every effort will be
made by Great Britain and France to
deal kindly with neutral commerce Is
contained in the British explanation Of
the Order in Council and its effect on
neutral commerce.
That a vigorous protest against en-
forccment of the Order in Council will
be Forthcoming from the American gov
ernment is forecasted in the American
note Of inquiry, in which it is pointed
out that the proposed course Of action
is unknown TO international law.
Such action as the United States will
take in responding TO the Anglo
French attitude will be independent of
the action Of any other neutral. This
was made clear to-day by Secretary of
State Bryan, who declared without
foundation published statements that
the United States was acting in con-
junction with the Netherlands in the
matter.
Wants Limit of Activity.
As carly as the communication of
March , Secretary Of State Bryan di-
rected the attention Of the British and
French governments to the fact that
this government was fully cognizant
Of the changed conditions Of modern
naval warfare brought about by the
submarine torpedo boat, but felt that
there should be some limit to the
radius of activity" especially If this
most recent action by the belligerents
could be construed as a blockade.
Frances Interpretation of the rights
of belligerent in the present war, so
far as they affect a neutral cargo
seized and hailed before prize court,
is more liberal than that OF Great Brit
ain. The French note says that, being
desirous Of allowing reutrals every
facility to enforce their claims and TO
give the neutrals as little trouble as
possible, the French government has
specified that the prize court snail give
sentence in eight days. counting from
the date on which the case shall have
been brought before it.
No such liberality is exhibited by
Great Britain in the Order in Council.
The promise of supplementary Orders
in Council is embodied in the pre!imln-
arv note which introduced the present
order. In these supplementary orders
the American government Is hopeful
that a promise of speedy adjudication
will be given.
Objections which the United States
will register to the Order in Council
are numerous. A few of them will
doubtless be set aside by notifications
which are promised to follow. The
principal objection will be TO the abb
sence of a defined area of blockade, for
the Order in Council, in combination
with French participation in the JOINT
note which preceded the order, Will be
held by the United States to constitute
to every intent and purpose blockade.
and the Allies will be urged TO make a
more accurate definition of the areas.
The United States, as the most
powerful of the neutral nations affect
ed, appreciates the order as IT stands
carries less menace to the ultimate
rights of producers and shippers than
would a blockade, but at the same time
il feels that the temporary effect at
least in restrictions on the freedom Of
the seas is even worse than a blockade.
Officially Called BLOCKADE"
The answers from both Great Britain
and France to the American note OF IN
ouiry reveal for the first time that the
Allies officially regard their policy as
a BLOCKADE" but desire TO refrain from
exercising the rights OF belligerents
under a blockade TO coniiscate ships
and cargoes as penalty for breach OF
blockade, substituting for II procedure
in prize courts and compensation
through sale of the detained merchan-
disc.
The definition OF radius Of activ-
ity" for the allied fleet in European
waters. including the Mediterranean. is
the first intimation of the geographical
limits Of the blockade. Its limits were
not given more exactly, the Allies
claim. because Germany was equally
indefinite in proclaiming all the waters
surrounding Great Britain and Ireland
"war zone
The publication of the correspondence
cleans the slate of diplomatic notes and
leaves the United States confronted
with the question of whether or not it
will acquiesce in the form OF blockade
announced by the Allies or make pro-
test.
The I'll fcJt Of the correspondence be-
,,rser the United states and Great Britain.
France and Germany IS printed on Page ?.