The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-01-21

Of WAR AND
COMMERCE
ADDRESSES AND DISCUSSIONS ON
INTERFERENCE WITH sHERl-
CAN SHIPS PREsEHTEO TO FOR
EIcs TRADE CONVENTION.

tiOn today on problems Of war and
Commerce asserted that the pending
negotiations between the United
state. and Great Britain In regard to
,as right 10 Yi.i, and search and Brit
i.h interference. win American ships
ard cargoes could result in Lothing
better than a makcshift. that the
point. a: issue could be settled only by
the abolition Of conditional contra
band, and the cooperation Of neu-
trai. and beiIlgerents ia the certifica-
tiOH Of cargOes.
o. the belligereut's right Of visit
and search, he said, The impulse Of
the belligerent is To cut of his enemy
altogether and TO prevent him from
getting anything from the outside. The
neutral, on the other hand, naturally
desires that his trade should not be
unduly hampered by an armed con-
nict 10 which he is not party.
AT the present moment a negotia-
ton IL in progress between the United
states and Great Britain In regard TO
the exercise OF the right Of visit and
search, particularly In relation TO the
question OF contraband. The represen-
tationg OF the United States are friend
ly in tone, but were evidently In.
spired by the desire to reach an ar
rangemeht which should be duly con
siderate OF the interests OF all con-
cerned, OF beliigerents and neutrals
alike. But, no matter what arrange
ment may be made, il can, In the
present state Of the law, hardly be eX-
pected 10 be more than makeshift.
The question requires for its eventual
adjustment more radical solution
than any OF the compromises attempt
ID In recent years have afforded"
Mr.. Moore said that the movement
Of American commerce today was by
grace OF British control OF the sea.
iii" he continued, instead OF the ma
val supremacy now exercised in its
own interest and that OF its allies by
the largest consumer OF our agricul-
tdral productions and foodstuffs, the
control of the seas were actually con
tested by powerful hostile fleets 1t Is
almost appalling to reflect upon what
might be the present state OF our com
merce The bare suggestion OF such
a predicament justifies US in giving to
the subject our most serious consider
alton, for we must look TO the future
as well as to the present"
The position OF the United States
had been clear and unequiyocal for
more than 100 years, and sought TO
exclude altogether from the category
Of cOntraband both raw materials and
food stuifs. He explained the position
Of this country at the second Hague
conference In 1907, In behalf OF gen
~ ~ lbifi hi-l'Nlii'iiA he w
contraband, and the defeat Of the pro
position following the lead OF Great
Britain's delegates headed by Lord
Reay. According to this proposition
Conditional Contraband" was to con
sist of provisions, materials and ar
ticles which are employed for dou-
Bile purpose in peace and I'm war but
quality and quantity are suitable and
necessary for military purposes, and
which are destined for the use of
armed forces or for the military estab-
lishmeuts Of the enemy"
Mr. Moore said Lord Reay had been
more prophetic than he knew when
he pointed to the futiiity of attempting
to prevent belligercnts from obtaining
the munitions they needed and the
difficulty in reaching an agreement
as to contraband, "by reason OF the
increase in the tonnage of ships, the
carrying Of mixed cargoes, the lack
Of any single destination of ship or
cargo. the multiplication OF the mum
Der of articles used in war, and the
development of railways and other
means of transportation by land"
"A solution must. in my opinion,
he continued. be sought if not in the
abolition of the principle OF contra
band, at any rate in the adoption of a
plan embracing % the abolition OF
conditional contraband' and t2) a sin.
gle list having been agreed upon, in
the cooperation of Heutrals and bel
ligcrcnts in the certihcations OF the
contents OF cargoes. so that the risk
of capture may be openly borne by
those who may voluntarily assume il,
and harassing searches and deten-
tions no more be heard of.
THE seas outside territorial waters
are the common highway of nations, -
he said, "and none OF them has the