The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-20

their o~n lipa. from the pens Of their
best known and politically most highly
inspired writer's Ia at hand upon this
subject for any one who cares to ex-
anime.
German leaders intended. IL they
Won the war. to dominate the whole
worlds trade and to maintain that
domination BY means other than open
competition with the nations OF the
world. They meant TO maintain It by
force. This Britain never has done"
I asked Lord Charles now to explain
to me the action Of the British Govern.
ment with regard 10 the ocean COM.
merce Of neu,ra,s since the war hegan.
calling his attention to the fact that
many in America whose sympathies
upon the broad questions involved In
the war certainly cannot %truthfully be
called pro-German believe that Eng
land perststently has violated the rights
OF neutral shipping. explained to
him that. as Of curse he already knew.
even the least pro.0ermAn newspapers
in the United States have felt them
selves called upon from time to time TO
express the keenest regret and dis-
pleasure over the course which the
British Government has taken with re-
gard To cargoes and bottoms from
America upon the high seas.
Lord Charles. who knows maritime
law rs well. in all human probability.
a. any other man alive to-day, nodded
almos; As il in agreement with The
American critics Of Great Britain. !
have noted since I have heen In Eng
land this time that Englishmen a. .
who.c are very ready to criticize their
fellow countrynen. are no less ready
to accept criticism ~ themselves UP
10 the point at leas; OF giving il a
most respectful and toierably thought
full hearing. ] have heard more criti-
clsin OF Grea, Britain. as "A matter Of
fact. in England than ] ever have
heard in the United States or than has
come to me from any OF the other
countries Of Europe.
THE difficult position at which we
now have arrived with regard 10 ucu-
trails he granted, is .. quite our own
making. VIC alone must be blamed for
l.. | hold the wait and sec policy
~ the British Government responsible
for 1t.
Our procedure has lacked decision.
We should have taken action promptly
when the war began, bat We did not
do 50.
Every man Of sense. certainly every
Briton. wants 10 see this war ended as
soon as possible. When We began We
al! were anxious 10 see il end a. soon
as possible. 1t seems absurd to devote
words 10 the, statement Of so obvious a
fact.
BY following a course which VIC did
no follow, unhapplly for ali concerned,
w nigh have ha stcncd its ending.
That is my unalterab,r he.ici ana |
do no. fear that | ever shall change ii.
"Wthou: violation of the law Of ma
ions and with extreme good sense we
might have declared and maintained
an effective blockade. making CONTRA
band OF everything shipped To or in
directly going into Germany.
Every neutral nation in the world
would have accepted that, even
though they nigh, have protested
against il. Effective blockade and the
declaration of Contraband "f war are
understood, They have been recoe
nized as legal wal time measures in
all parts OF the world.
you yourselves not only have
recognized this practice, but YOU your
selves have followed II. II Is possible
that I am wrong in my contention
u this surely is my view. Let me
give you an example OF your utiliza
ton of this idea.
Cotton expectation has an intimat,
and impnrtan; effect upon the pros
pcrity Of American trade. ! am tolC
and believe. although 7 my self canno'
>ouch for the statement. that direct,
ne went to war our Government a
Washington notified the cotton grow
ing States Of your South. In effect
that We British were morally certain
to make cotton Contr band of war. a!
such action on the part Of the British
Government had an u~ndeniable prece
lent in the procedure of the American
Federal Government w'lcn durinI
YOUR civil war your Government a
Washington made cotton c%ontrahan'
Of war.
"Rut whether or not your Govern
ment actually warned your cottol
growing States that such action b,
the British authorities was a proba
billty the fact remains that it shoul
not only have been II probability hi
a certainty, and that had it been take