The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-02
BRITISH LORDS IN
WAR OF WOROS0N
.,S!FUTRAL RIGHT
WOULD RULE SEA BY FORCE
Former Ambassador Bryce Stands for
Fairness to Neutrals and Says
II Is Better Way.

London, Dec. 1.-THE declaration
of London has no international valid
ity and the adoption Of the declara-
ton by an order in council does not
involve the creation OF an interna'
tional, tribunal" said the Marquis OF
Lansdowne, minister without portfol-
10 in the British cabinet, in answer
to a series of questions put by the
Earl of Portsmouth in the House OF
Lords at London yesterday I'VE
have adopted the declaration of Lon
don only with very considerable and
important notifications, and we ad.
opted it only partially and tor the
guidance of our own courts"
The earl of Portsmouth's questions
were submitted with view to elicit
ing the exact position OF Great Brit
ain with regard to the declaration of
London and the setting at rest or con-
firming the reports that Lord Read
ing had made an arrangement with
the United States government for the
reference of claims to an internation-
al tribunal after the war
On the latter point the marquis of
Lansdowne referred to the communi.
cation of Sir Edward Grey. the for.
eign secretary. on July 81 stating that
it was open to Washington to claim
that disputes in regard to the decis-
ions OF prize courts should +, be sub.
mitted for review by an international
tribunal and remarked that Sir Ed.
ward Grey's statement only commit
ted Great Britain to a resort to arbi-
tration as a. proper means for the liqui-
dation Of disputes, as provided in the
arbitration treaty concluded with the
United States last year, ,4,,g
During the discussion the earl OF
Portsmouth = asked; If the declara-
tion of London is not in force, why,
in heavens name could we not fall
tors, which gave them victory?" And
he added; THE country wants to get
rid of all this rubbish-the declara-
tion of London and the Hague conven
tion. We want to sweep away all ju-
dicial niceties and win this war by
placing British interests and the in
terests of our allies as the only inter
ests, first and supreme"
Viscount Bryce, the former ambas-
sador at Washington. pointed out that
England already had agreed with the
United States to submit questions
such as those raised to arbitration,
and it was. therefore superfluous to
inquire whether any recent assuranc-
es of this nature had been given.
While England was entitled TO press
to the utmost against belligerents all
the rights which international law all
lowed her, he contended that she
could not ignore the rights of neu-
trails, The country might easily lose
great deal more than it could pos
sibly gain by pressing them to the
furthest point. which might involve
the greatest injury to neutral coun-
tries.
great deal of the fabric of inter.
national law had been shattered, and
the great task of her future would be
to rebuild the shattered fabric. 1t
would be most unfortunate, he said,
If this country were to go beyond
what had been considered to be set.
tied international law and make her
own will and her own necessities
judge of her actions The plea of nee
,essity had led to most atrocious
crimes. I'VE come forward as the
champions of international rights and
the defenders of international law .
said Lord Bryce, "and it would be a
misfortune if we were to depart from
that position" M