New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-23
An Open Forum for
Public Debate.

ships, our self-respsct, our commercial
/ interests and our relationship 20 other
| friendly powers require that we should
demand from the British government
] without delay q definite statement
whether or not she holds foodstuffs 20
DO consraband, and that. whatever she
may hold, she should proceed 70 q
quick determination Of the question.
! Il seems 70 me that the British gov
eminent will attempt 20 accomplish by
! indirection what she cannot accomplish
directly without putting herself in
! this dilemma) By seising ships and
cargoes TO such an extent IS will deter
shipments or cause the owners OF
( seized cargoes 70 divert them from Ger
many to save themselves the losses re-
sulting from delay and expensesI or
she may offer TO buy the carroes 81
such prices as the owners, considering
these losses and delays. will accept
II the British government shall say
! II considers foodstuffs contrsbsnd only
and when they ars intended for army
or navy uses and II the British gov
eminent Is inclined 70 act fairly IN the
matter Il can readily be settled. for
Germany, has, I understand, offered TO
guarantee that the foodstuhs shipped
| 10 Germany shall be used only for civil
purposes, and has further consented 20
have the disposal Of such foodstuhs
supervised by agents Of the American
government. 1t would seem that for
the protection Of our commerce ~ well
as for the sake of humanity. our gov
eminent might well undertake such
supervision.
Our failure to demand from the BRIT
/ ish government (sfter IL has avoved It's
| intention Of inficting on over 10000
/ 900 Of women and children In Ger
many the horrors OF famine) IN I'm.
mediate settlement Of this matter or
[ the shipment Of foodstufs to Germany
while we az the same time sre making
millions Of dollars from shipments 10
/ the Allies, which We cannot make 70
! Germany, Of munitions and implements
of war TO be used for her destruction,
must be very sggravating TO Germany.
/ In addition 70 this, we have made no
energetic effort to prevent England
I from obtaining Q great advantage over
/ Germany In naval warfare by per-
hitting the use of our flag on the Eng
| lish merchant marine. Such use OF the
American flag by English merchantmen
would tend TO make the capture By the
German navy of English vessels more
difficult and save many OF them from
capture, and would also make the op-
Grafton of the German submarines more
hazardous. Submarines are slow YES
sells, and therefore must strike and get
away quickly. In the Irish Sea and IN
the English Channel IL is quite likely
that a submarine might find as many
as three ships In sight at the same
time. If these three vessels fly flags OF
neutral nations and one OF them Is
English there Is just one chance IN
three OF a submarine getting the Eng
lish vessel, as against An even chance IN
the case of the English vessel not ny
ing the neutral flag, for so much time
would elapse while the submarine was
boarding and examining the papers OF
one Of these vessels that the others
would escape or that the submarine
would have TO take TO her heels 70 e'-
cape destruction by English men OF war
which the English vessel would call Tor
by wireless.
England proposes as war measure
20 starve a nation OF 66.0O0.OO people
Famine has rarely brought about
capitulation until, after the most NOT
rible and long suffering. the stIonges.
are brought TO such q condltlNl tnse
they cannot bear arms. WINE tne
American people are considering ,nls
matter they should read again the mrs
&c ~ of some OF the great sieges-ss
Macaulay's description OF the siers OF
Londonderry. We know the temper OF
the German people and that they WI,
fight 70 the last man. England VII
have the rules of war for an answer 70
any criticism Of her in this respect.
But what answer will the American
people have II by stopping their ship ship
ments of grain TO the civil population
OF Germany, which we have percy
right to make according 20 the law %
nations. they take part In inhletlng q
moro than 30,00o.o0o Of women sns
children Of a friendly nation the nor
rors Of famine7 ,..,
New York. Feb. rs. 1915.