The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-18

l tlmeS the principle that a belligerent
 should abstain from interference with
 the foodstuffs intended for the civil pop
 ulation. The circumstances of the pres
 ent struggle are causing his majesty s government some anxiety as to whether 1 the existing rules with regard to condi- l tiona1 contraband, framed as they were with the object of protecting so far as I possible the supplies which were intended
 for the civil population are effective for | the purpose or suitable to the conditions l present. The principle which I have in-
 dicated above is one which his majesty s l government have constantly had to up- | hold against the opposition of continen- l tai powers. In the absence of some certainty that the rule would be respected l by both parties to this conflict we feel 1 great doubt whether it should be regarded as an established principle of interna- 1 tional law
 | Sir Edward then quotes Prince Bis marck's answer to the Kiel Chamber of Commerce in 1S44 in connection with the treatment of rice as contraband in the | French Chinese war.
 "The measure in question: Prince Bis
 marck is quoted as saying "has for it's | object the shortening of the war by in
 creasing the difficulties of the enemy | and is a justifiable step in war if im- partially enforced against all neutral ships"
 The British note here remarks: His majesty's government are dis
 posed to think that the same view is still maintained by the German govern
 ment. Another circumstance which is
 now coming to light is that an elaborate
 machinery has been organized by the
 enemy for supply of foodstuffs for the use of the German army from overseas. Under these circumstances it would be | absurd to give any definite pledge that l~< to be for the use of the enemy forces
 they should be given complete immunity by the simple expedent of dispatching them to an agent in a neutral port. "The reason for drawing a distinction between foodstuffs intended for the civil population and those for the armed forces of the enemy government disappears when the distinction between the civil
 population and the armed forces itself disappears.
 Tn any country in which there exists | such tremendous organizations for war | as now obtains in Germany there is no | clear division between those whom the , government Is responsible for feeding and those whom it is not. Experience shows that the power to requisition will be used 1 to the fullest extent in order to make sure 1 that the wants of the military are sup 1 piled and however much goods may be | imported for civil use it Is by the military | that they will be consumed if military ex- 1 agencies require it, especially now that the German government has taken control of all the foodstuffs in the country" Acting Leniently
 After giving statistics tending to show | that supplies are reaching neutral ports
 from the United States to 'an unprece- l dented extent" and reciting efforts on l the part of his government to deal as
 leniently as possible with neutral interests, | Sir Edward points out that Great Britain | has recognized the transfer to a neutral of enemy ships belonging to companies which were incorporated in the enemy
 country. but all of whose shareholders were neutral, even waiving objections to | companies incorporated in Germany | which Were subsidiary to and owned by
 American corporations" the only condi-
 ton being imposed that these vessels 'should take no further part in trade with the enemy country"
 l q have given these indications" con
 cluded Sir Edward, ''of the policy which
 we have followed because I cannot help feeling that if the facts were more fully
 known as to the efforts which we have
 made to avoid infiicting any avoidable 1 injury on neutral interests. many of the | complaints which have been received by
 the administration in Washington, and
 which led to the protest which your ex- | cellency handed to me on December 2S. | would never have been made.
 1 My hope is that when the facts which l I have set out above are realized, and when it is seen that our naval opera tions have not diminished American trade with neutral countries. and that the lines 1 m which we have acted are consistent 1 ,rith the fundamental principles of inter- national law. 1t would be apparent to the | government and people of the United
 States that his majesty's government has l hitherto endeavored to exercise their bel 1 ligerent rights with every possible con 1 sideration for the interests of neutrals, ,,