Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-19
BRITISH FLEET
ABLE TO ENFORCE
REAL BLOCKADE
Plan to Shut Off All Ger
man Supplies New Prob
lem for u. S.
WOULD HIT SWEDEN HARD

WASHINGTON, Jan. 49,
With the declaration OF an actual
blockade by Great Britain OF German
ports believed imminent the Govern
nent has turned its attention TO the uues-
tion of Engand's ability to enforce an
actual blockade. The conclusion reached
is that England can do It. Information
furnished the State Department by the
Navy Department is considered convinc-
Ing on the point,
Naval officials are virtually Of one
opinion. From three admirals today eN-
pressions were obtained which, allowing
for variance in language, can be summed
up thus;
1T would take no more ships and no
redistribution OF her ships for England
20 establish an effective blockade of Ger
many as the term Is understood in inter-
national law"
Great Brltain's plan may create n new
problem to perplex American diplomacy
but the added restrictions imposed prob
ably will not have the effect of reducing
TO any great extent the trade of the
united States with neutrals. according to
the view expressed today by Acting Sec
retary of Commerce Edwin F. Sweet
DANGER TO L. S. TRADE.
"Englands action brings us face to face
with another situation. the possible dan
gers OF which to American trade can
stage. but II Is inconceivabe that the ma
tons commerce shall suffer greater hard
ships through the stoppage Of shipments
not intended for the enemy the Secre-
tary said.
The expected declaration would first
be felt most severely by Norway and
Sweden. Shipments TO these countries
will most likely be subjected to more rigid
Inspection. and trade with those nations
may be slightly impeded England sus-
poets that n great deal of the goods des-
tined to these two neutrals finally gets
through to Germany.
"lt is utterly impossible to disprove
this, IN the absence of records. but II Is
unfair for Great Britain TO assume that
the greatly increased purchases made of
America by Norway and Sweden are
being reshipped to the Central Powers.
vigorous renewal OF the effort to force
congressional action against the British |
Interference with American commerce Is |
being planned by Senate leaders.
THE idea of a blockade, as announced |
in dispatches from London, Is simply alb |
surd." said Senator Hoke Smith, Demo- |
crat. of Georgia, today "The situation |
has reached such point where it is be- |
coming ridiculous. II will no longer be
possible for the demands for action to |
be buried in the Foreign Relations Com |
mlttee. The committee itself will have !
to take cognlzance of the growing senu- |
ment for doing something TO offset the |
Illegal proceedings OF Great Britain"
SMITH WANTS ACTION.
Senator Smith tomorrow will address
the Senate on the British Order in Coun-
ell. by which American ships and cargoes
have been seized or detained. He will |
declare that the time has come for aban-
donment of the policy of quibbling with
Great Britain and insist that steps be
taken toward retaliatory measures.
That the American Government would
be bound by Civil War bloc .ade prec-
edents in this situation is an embarrass-
ing prospect During the blockade OF
the Confederacy British ships with car
goes destined for Mexico and Nassau
were seized. over British protests, the
seizures being upheld by the Union Gov
ernment's proof that the goods were
destined for blockade runners willing to
take chance of getting by the warship |
Gordon at Confederate ports.
British warships would not have TO lie
of German ports or even nearby. They
would only have to demonstrate ability
to prevent ships carrying supplies of any
kind from reaching enemy ports. This
could be done at considerable distance
from Austro- C Garman harbors.
British men-o-war could stop and seize
all the cargoes Ell route TO neutral ports
also, upon proof of ultimate enemy con-
sumption. This would be the principal
hardship upon neutrals OF an actual
blockade-a probable seizure upon mere
suspicion of neutral-bOund cargoes, with
out anb5tantial evidence