Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-01-15
THE ENGLISH VIEW.


While the debate in the house last week. provoked by
The speech of Representative Gardner not specially
fdng it did serve to remind the country that there are
sections of this andsomewhat removed it is true from
the Atlantic seabOard-n which the people believe that
bur rights under the law should be upheld against the al
lies well against the central powers Only few
Hays ago Ehhu Root sad that all the warning nations had
from the very outbreak of the violated international
to such extent to make it necessary to rebuild it
rom the ground up.
government and many of the English people have main
aimed attitude toward the subject not substantially
erent from that held by Germany in the invasion of
Belgium, and in the matter of submarine warfare. 1t
eld for instance, that the fact that legal blockade
Gould not be maintained made illegal permissible
iere is the plea of military necessity, which govern
ent has very properly disalowed whenever advanced
Not long ago the London Times spoke of 1.-THE determi
atio of the country to keep its power involate
ganst any attempts to restrict it by purely verbal
omulas There is not much to choose between this and
the scrap of paper theory For verbal formulas are
othng than the rules of that public law which the
vized nations have for centuries been engaged in build
g up. But more significant and dsheartening is
he following from the London Morning POST
surely the admiralty the authority direct the blockade
Germany foreign omice should be to
s designs o Sdd hSPRF ta the tosTfn
OF course foreign nations have, and can have no rela-
of any to the British admiralty They can deal
My with the foreign office and it is the business of that
flee to that the law is not tramped by the adj
iralty.
But the whole story is summed up in the words "pla-
ting neutras' That it is believed is the idea that is
pw III possession OF the British mind Neutras it seems
e to be placated" by conceding to them the rights
hich they have under international law To refuse to-
ize an American ship illegally is, we suppose, to
pacate" the United States. Undoubtedly this somewhat
soent conception lies at the base of much of the criti
SIN of this government INDUCED in by American citizens
no should know better The Germans might Just as
uy say that they would give up their lawess of sub
arines with the object of pacating neutras Our de-
and has been based such ground, and compliance
til will not be construed We asking for moth
g but our rights under the law.
Only few days ago our government, again properly
dged vigorous protest with the British government
anst its practice of Selling and censorng American
ails destined to neutral countries We suppose we are
an asking to be ''placated." Finally, have this in
resting ntenogatory from the London Daily Mail: us
British blockade in danger of being undone by series
scraps of paper?" SO the wheel to full circle
an English newspaper adopts the very words of the
erman chancellor that shocked the world Surely
ere can be no sympathy in this country with the theory
at neutrals medders and busybodies that must be
oacated' rather than soveregnties whose rights un-
the law, must be respected