The sun., 1916-01-24
NO LAW OF NATIONS NOW.
Broken Down by War, n Congress OF
Powers Must Reconstruct It.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sr: No
other conclusion can come to a practical
and Intelligent or legal mind than that
the whole system of international law
pUpularly called the law of nations, mas
absolutely broken down. because 1t Is
unsafe for the European bclligerents TO
observe II. A treaty was torn up to
enable the German armies stratcgfcally
to cross Belgium. The duty and recip-
rocal right of visit and search OF a
merchantmen, founded on the principle
OF 'look before you shoot" was chloro-
formed for at least seven months by the
German Government in Its submarine
war on enemy commerce. Yet complaint
is now made that tho British Govern
ment, having control OF the seas DC
ca,nse II possesses a powerful and ell
cient navy, by Orders in Council and
prospectively by a proclaimed blockade
applies and puts into effect the doctrine
OF Continuous voyage" That this Is
legal under the laws OF nations was
enunciated fifty years ago against Eng
lish shipping. by the Supreme Court OF
the United States. in prize case In
which Secretary Seward was SUSTAINED
in his conduct OF the foreign relations
OF the United states.
Ono New York morning paper edi-
torially said on January 20 In reference
TO the blockade maintained by the Union
Government of the Southern ports gov
erned by the Confederacy: ut was a
case of Government exercising police
authority over its own ports" This quo
tation and the article are nothing bet
ter than special pleading. The war be-
tween the states was "A pubic war from
the first battle OF Bull Run. Secretary
Seward early recognized II as such, ana
because IT was such he delivered up
Mexrs Mason and Slideli. taken by the
Captain Of the san Jacinto from the
British. ship Trent The bellgsrency OF
the Confederate Statee was recognized
by England and France. and the fdct
that West Virginia is to-day n state or
the Union and as such has its two Sena-
tors seated I'm Congress was expressly
based as 10 ats constitutional right on
the war power of Congress under the
Constitution OF the United states. These
are only two of many instances of a
course OF policy by the Union Govern
ment. whether during the war or during
the reconstruction. that precludes any
other view than that the civil war III
the United States was public war.
IL this country wishes to keep al
peace and no; become "nbrolled IN the
war that to-day ravagcs the continent
Of Europe and extends even to the Tigris
| River, let its Goveruument and It's Deo-
| affairs to the Administration at Wash
| inCton. aided as it is hv the Foreign AZ
! fairs Commuters OF the two houses 81
| Congress The Governor of Texas has
| said as sane "A thing as has been saio
! IN many months that before the United
| states begins war, let 1t first prepare
for war. Whether there Will or viii moi
| be a blockade OF the western coasts ol
I Europe viii he decided IN London, Paris
| and petrograd. and after the war Is
| over I viii take a congress o. the Tow
| ers, such as sat twice IN Vienna, In 1914
| and 1915. to reeirlct the law of nations
/ and define its provisions. The law o'
/ nations was repealed or August 3. 1914
when the German armies crossed th'
! belgian frontier, and II has since beer
/ observed when 1t presented difficulties
! 10 bclliger"ut from reasons of cN
! pedence rather than because il wa
! binding on them. MAYO ATKINSON.
! ELIZABETH y. T. January 20.