The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-08-10
EUROPEAN NOTES
/ AGAIN TO FORE
Reply TO German Communication
Nearly Completed.
EnGLISH DRAFT NOT STARTED

Believed State Department May Con.
slider British Blockade In Light Of
Reprisal and Therefore IllegaI-WilI
Deny Right to NuIlify International
Law to Suit Certain Geographical
Situations Of Reliigerents.
Washington, Aug. I'm the inter
val that is to elapse before a third
Pan-American conference on the Mexi-
can situation is held the attention OF
the state department will be concen.
trated once more on several problems
growing out Of the controversy with
the European belligerents. These mat.
ters have necessarily been pushed to
one side in the last few days as re-
Eult o. the Mexican deliberations. The
two matters Of greatest importance
are the replies to the German note in
tae Frye case and the several British
rotes defending the interference with
American trade with neutral coun-
tries. The reply of the United States
In the Frye case mas been drafted, and
probably will be submitted t. the
president in day or two. No note to
Great Britain has yet been drafted,
tut much preliminary work has been
done on that subject and little delay
is expected.
1t is likely that full advantage will
be taken by the administration of the
opportunity afforded by the British
reference to Germanys conduct as
justifying what England is doing.
Language quite similar to that used
in the notes to Germany, informing
her that the United States could not
admit into its controversy with Ger
many any Of Germany's complaints
against Great Britain, probably will
be found In the note to Great Britain.
Aside from the legal aspect of the
situation, officials here are delighted
o; the opportunity thus afforded them
to lay ii on Great Britain in way
which is likely to mollify those who
feel that the United States has been
giving Germany alone the rough edge
o: its tongue.
Officials are considering the possi-
tility of pressing this advantage still
further in the reply to Great Britain.
BY some 1t Is felt that the United
States would be justified in declaring
that Great Britain in admitting that
her blockade Is n retaliation for the
submarine operations OF Germany has
acknowledged by implication tlat her
blockade is reprisal and therefore
beyond the law. BY others the opin-
ion Is held that Great Britain was
clever enough in writing her note to
Etop Just short Of actually admitting
that her blockade measures are to be
viewed as reprisal. On the other
hand, II Is claimed that while this
may be true TECHNICALLY, as a matter Of
fact the British have sought to justify
their blockade measures by claiming
them to be necessary retaliation
against the Illegal and inhumane prac-
tees of Germany and should be called
to account accordingly.
As the British note is being studied
other points to be raised In contraven-
tion o: the British argument are being
developed. II Is now certain that the
American reply will concede practical.
ly nothing of the British argument
and that Il will evade the deadly par
slier' OF the American civll war
cases by maintaining that the conclu-
elons along this line drawn by the
British really are not justified by the
facts In the two situations. Great
Britain will be charged with trying to
nullify circumstance due to the phys
ical fact o: geography; the United
States will contend that II can not ac
cept this view; that the rules OF block
ade or the application OF them can be
altered TO fit the geographical facts ol