Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-09

ferring to the German note to the SWISS
gov eminent de-
German Demand handing that in
on Switzerland. and si'h iron IS sen. to
that government should
release goods Of equal
value desired by Germany. says: THE
delegates Of Switzerland and those OF
the entente met in Paris and discussed
the situation. The representatives OF
the entente declared that it was impos-
sible to permit Germany to be pro-
visioned by such products Of impor-
lance as were demanded through the
medium of Switzerland. Pending a So
luton of the question it was announc-
ed that another meeting would be call
ed to consider the problem"
The Paris conference. il it has secured
cooperation of the entente powers in a
military sense. has created likewise
a great economic offensive against the
central empires. AS expressed by
Berlin correspondent in a dispatch OF
July L. Specifically a food fight to
finish has started through a sharpened
British blockade reinforced by econom-
ic political pressure against nearby
neutrals."
The Tageblatt is quoted in the above
dispatch as writing (manifestly before
the present drive on the western 'front.' !:
the civil population after the prospects
Of victory over our soldiers had dis,
appeared. 1t is possible that we shall
in many ways feel the effects or
sharpened blockade. though how far
the law of the sea is subject to BRIT
aims tender mercies, to which all the
sisnatories Of the London declaration
are invited to bow down. will work
out in practice, is another matter. Eng
land may attempt to declare every
thing contraband that floats on the
high seas toward Germanys neighbor-
ing shores. 1t may undertake to make
rationization of the population OF
Holland, Sweden and other countries
still sharper. to introduce blockade of
neutrals as the latest discovery of Brit
ish civilization into international law
and to make of Holland second
Greece. Momentarily Switzerland Is
the most interesting theater OF the
economic war"
NJ. Charles Benoist in the Revue des
Deux Mondes discusses the situation of
all neutrals in the
Raviaw If %bo present war. and
with particular ref
Neutral States. erence to the re-
cent German note to Switzerland. NJ.
Benoist reviews the situation of the
following neutrals after twenty-five
months of war: Sweden, Norway. Den
mark, Holland. Spain. Greece. Rumania
and Switzerland. Seven of these powers
are more or less maritime, four are en-
tirely So These four states in ordinary
times of peace plowed the seas with
rfc
and importers for the great beneht OF
themselves and those of other states
less favored now engaged IN this I'M
mense war.
Rumania and Greece. take from the sea
more than they give. Greece could not
live without the sea. and shut off from
1t would perish in a few days SwitZer-
land depends for provisions on her
neighbors and lacks an entry and exit
to and from the markets of the world.
1t does not appear that the Scandi-
navian states, nor Greece, nor Rumania
made any special declarations OF their
rights under international law IN the
Netherlands proclaimed her neutrality
from August 5, 1914, in the war be-
tween Belgium and Germany, and be-
tween Germany and Great Britain
Spain proclaimed her neutrality August
in the war between Germany, Russia,
France and Great Britain, and between
Austria Hungary and Belgium; and
Spain renewed the declaration each
time a nation Joined the belligerents
declared her neutrality
showed how we'll she appreciated the
fact that her situation was delicate.
The situation Of the neutral states in
the war is identical: "All of the neu-
trails have been at
All fbe Nanfro1e tackled by mani
Have Suffered. nrincin1es and
rights of humanity; all have had ships
and cargoes sunk, against law and hui
manity; all bewail victims among neu-
trails or non combatants who sleep un-
avenged in the depths of the seas; all
neutrals complain, indeed. that they are
no longer masters in their own house"
NJ Benoist declares that 1.-The day will
come (has come already, perhaps) when
no one in the civilized world may re-
main neutral and be a freeman" The
critic recognizes the United States of
America as the strongest of the neu-
trails, land because of her historic
figure which she maintains among the
nations of the earth it is for America
to give the signal to invoke the eter-
nal and universal principles for the
safeguard of which she is obliged to
face. the hypothesis of a duty to fight
And NJ Benoist concludes that it is
for neutrals to decide if to live with
out sacrifice they consent to lose the
superior reasons to live"
A writer in La Revue, M Hullard,
proposes a plan of action for all neutrals.
The length of the war will be measured
by the efficacy of arms and besides by
terial and finances. Economical famine
was quite as redoubtable as physical
famine. When objects of absolute neces-
sity have tripled and quadrupled in price
wealthy ones may live by restrictions:
the others are obliged to pare down
even the necessities of life. Then follow
discomfort and material suffering against
have little or no effect. The writer
expresses the opinion that the cen
trail empires have commenced to
show such Generalization. The weak
spot in the armor Of the enemy is his lack
of necessary foodstuffs.
All the civilized world is engaged in
on the other non bellig-
All the World erents whom we call
neutrals. Properly
AAVoiVeu. speaking there are no
neutrals: all participate in the war.
whether they bring their economical con-
tributions or whether their duty to HUI