Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-03
NEUTRAL NATIONS
Being EXPLOITED
French Writer Discusses Atti-
tude Taken by the !Coun-
tries Now at War.
METHODS OF THE GERMANS
Jean Herbette Believes Histo-
rians Will Devote Chapter
to This Phase.
METHODS OF THE GERMANS

VIC i-Nho ue falis' lHey ought 10 ue-
vote separate chapter TO describe the
exploiting of neutral powers. 1t would
not be the least interesting.
1T will probably be divided into
three parts. FOR the Germans have three
PRINCIPAL methods of making use of
neutrals. One is used during a period
OF victory. another during a time of
doubt. and the third in days Of distress
During the period of victory the
method is simple enough; the invasion
Of Luxemberg and the invas'o on of Bel
GUM
During period OF doubt, invasion
lis replaced By blackmail and extortion
political intriEues in the United
States TO intimidate President Wilson
and compel him to take action against
England. economic threats to Switzer-
land TO compel her TO supply Germany
with copper and cotton. The historians
will find many other examples if they
look for them
But Germany is a far-secing coun-
try"--she is now thinking of the time
is beginning 10 put the third method
into use.
During the siege of Paris Bismarck
had one fear: he was afraid that neu-
trails might interfere when the time
came for peace negotiations. To-day
the tables have been turned-it is Ger
many which is being besieged, and
what was the nightmare of Bismarck
becomes the hope of his successors. who
say 10 themselves: IF only the neutrals
would intervene in the coming peace
negotiations
"of course. the lis, of neutrals ha.
shrunk considerably since 1870. as have
also the reasons which should prompt
them TO interfere, but this difference
does not stop German propa ganda.
which goes on repeating that the neu-
trails ought TO unite in order TO defend
their own interests when the day of
hnal settlement comes. Defend the,
against, whom. Against the allies. cv!
IDENTIFY. Germany always gets the best
in "A debate.
This idea has been put forward a
some of the northern capitals. but it
has not met with any great success
and II is not difficult TO guess the r.
son why. II is suggested that the neu-
trails should combine against a commo
danger, but the neutrals discover
neither any danger ahead OF them nor
any community of interest.
How could France. Russia and
Great Britain threaten "A neutral state?
The continued existence and independ-
ence of the neutral states is n funda-
mental condition of the balance of
power in Europe, for which the allies
are fighting. and without which they
could not be allied.
NO COMMUNITY on
INTERESTS AMONG NEUTRALS
Where. on the other hand. are we
to look for community of interests
among the neutrals? Sweden has vital
interests in the Baltic. Holland in the
Sunda Islands. and Spain in the Med
iterranean Norway is all coast, and
Switzerland has no coastline whatever
The neutral states have only one thnS
in common-their neutrality. They
are therefore solid in one single case
when it is question of robbing one
of them of its neutrality and compel
ling II TO become belligerent against
its Will This was what happened
when Germany made war against UNI
happy Belgium. Where was then the
federation of neutrals which ought to
have guarded their common interests?
81 am not the only one to reason
in this manner. for the important Nor
wegian paper. Tidens Tcgn. says: Why
should a conference be hell to. look
after the interests of the neutrals?
These interests for which we dared not
fight we should now defend when the
time comes for peace? You must take
your choice-either to enjoy peace and
its blessings or run the risk OF war
and gain right to .;ai;e part in tho
peace negotiations
II shall, only add one word to this
Just and logical statement.
The neutral powers have no COM
mon interests TO defend against the
allies. but this is no reason why they
should differ among themselves on all
the problems. There is. for instance.
the problem OF submarines. Should the
neutral powers permit foreign sub
marines to enter their territorial
waters? This II a question on which
all lawyers should be able to come to
an agreement, and. as II happens. law
yers are occupying important national
offices in three neutral countries. The
Swedish Prime Minister the Dutch
Prime Minister fnd the President of
the United States are all lawyers. and.
If I am not mistaken. famous doctors
Of law.
These three countries all have had
occasion to occupy themselves with the
question of submarines. Sweden sees
them continually navigating along her
shores. Holland has made known in
her orange book that she has been
unable 10 get any reparation for the
which was torpedoed by n
German submarine. The United States
has had the question Of the Deutsch-
and. Ono might, perhaps. be justified
In believing the view OF the solidarity
Of the neutral nations, that they should
have been able to give the same answer
to the question: Should we give for
eign submarines the right to navigate
our waters?"