The sun., 1916-10-14
SEES GERMAN PLAN
TO BLACKMAIL U. s.
Lord Robert Cecil Says U-BOat
War Is Basis for "DiplO-
matte Bargain"
AIMED AT BLOCKADE
Berlin Said to Expect Ameri-
can Demands for MOdifi-
cation Of Policy.

LONDON. Oct. lathe operations OF
the German submarine C-53 on the
American coast raises no new issues be-
tween Great Britain and the United
states as far as the British Government
Ia concerned in the opinion Of Lord Rob-
ert Cecil. Minister of Wal Trade. Lord
Robert declared that this form OF war
fare OF merchantmen violates interna-
t.onal law.
German public opinion" he aid
appears to be obsessed with the idea
that the way TO deal with the allied
blockade Is to have "A succession OF sud
den crises with neutrals, which may he
used for striking diplomatic bargains.
These bargains. in the mind of Germany.
always take one form-that Germany
IL to refrain from violating International
law and humanity In return for the
ala ndonment by Great Britain, as
toward neutrals. Of the legitimate mill
tary and naval measures Of the Allies.
I'm the last few weeks there has been
a recrudescencc OF this idea In Germany,
coupled with "A good deal of talk OF peace
and mediation. II the press OF the
whole world is now conjecturlng that
the appearance OF u submarine or tho
coast Of the United States Is the first
step in a new attempt at q bargain
Of this kind.
Danger of Concessions.
The whole Of the recent German fon
eign policy has proceeded on thc same
principle. k~iao-chau. Agadir, the
Mailed Fist and Shining Armor' are
examples OF the international procedure.
In private life 1t Is called black,nail. 1t
~ u he xran 10 eut m npnn In "A nSu.av ia
these German ideas of international di.
plomacy hat the sinking OF ships of
Nantucket is precisely calculated to
prove at once the danger OF any con-
cessions by the Allies. and the injus-
tice OF the many American criticisms
levelled against our laval and military
measures.
Americans have suggested that our
trading with the enemy regulation and
our refusal to allow British goods to 60
to certain firms in America are also petty
and unnecessary. That sounded reason
able a week before the Deutschland APP
peared In an American harbor, but
when ] tell YOU hat the Deutschland
o on board In America certain vitality
necessary metals, of which there is a
serious shortage In Germany for muni-
tion purposes. and that there IL reason
TO believe these particular metals were
a part OF the small stock mined in allied
territory. you will see again how i'm.
portant II Is that We should take pre-
cautions to prevent allied property get
ting into the hands of those who We
know will use II to help our enemies.
Might ProlonG the War.
And concessions made by the ALLIES
In regard TO their war measures might
assist the German armies IN the field e
prolong the war. aud even In the ex'
IRENE case jeopardize our success. By
the enterprises OF the Moewe. tn,
Deutschland and the U-53 and the con,
tinued carefully prepared conspiracies II
the East, conducted through territorie.
OF the United States. and by organize
outragcs against American factories an,
Canadian pubic works. Germany Ia
gone out of her way to prove there is n.
point at which the Allies can safel,
abandon the measures which they ar
entitled TO take under their Iatioua
rights and under the laws Of war"
Lord Robert . said no departure II
principle had been made from the Brit
ish blockade measures. but IL could l.
safely said that the general polio.
leaned in the direction of "A modiiicato
rather than an extension of the blackiis'
Replying TO the charge hat Grea
Britain IL violating the equal treatmen
provisions OF the Anglo-Anerican treat
Of commerce and navigation of 1915 b
granting licenses to japanese an
French exporters, while refusing permit
to American shippers for similar good,
Lord Robert said that such rcstrictio.
were in the hands OF the Board % Trad,
but that he was personally OF IN
opinion that such treaties lost vIlidit
during a state of war.