The Washington herald., 1916-02-27
England Will Make No Concessions to y. S.
In Regard to Blockade, Basng Her Action on
The Failure Of Wilson to Act Against Germany
Only Threat Of War Embargo Would Force Breakdown Declares Badon Military
AuhoyOdr Council Preferred Formal Blockade Proclamation
Because Allies Decline Stop Swedens Baltic Trade with
Germany Lest SxedeA Attack Russia


He said that In 1877 the United States
refused 10 permit the shipment Of goods
70 a British island IN the Bahamas on
the ground that the trade OF New YORK
with that island showed such an tncrea-e
that Il was a fair presumption the goods
were destined for shipment 20 Mexico
and thence to the Confederacy. Il suG-
gest" he concluded. that In regard 20
the increase Of shipm entE at the present
time from America 20 Scandinavia, the
burden Of proof OF the innocence Of those
shipments should lie with the United
/ States"
Enough has been said 70 indicate the
British method Of procedure. q method
which they have no intention Of relax
/ ing. President Wilson In his last note
| demanded that search for contrabsnd
take place on the high seas, and that
/ ships be not taken 20 a British port
without some evidence that they have
| contrsband on board. He also insisted
/ upon Americas right 20 ship fooostufis
| and non-contraband 70 neutral countries
| Sir Edward Grey IL now preparing his
answer 20 that note, which will speak
/ for France and possibly for Italy a.
well a. for Britain. but not for Russia.
! British Reply Firm Negative.
The British reply will be firm mega
! tive to every one Of the Presidents de-
| mands. I also understand and on very
good authority that Sir Edward. per
/ haps the cleverest international contro-
! versialist alive IL preparing an answer
| intended 70 meet President Wilson on
| his own ground. Hitherto Grey's notes
have been coldly dispassionhte, While the
President has protestd with much feel
ing concerning Americas rights and has
Il used some rather strong sdJecttves. Sir
Edward is understood 70 have decided
that Americans like plain speaking such
a he nj m
and according to the piece de resistance
Of the forthcoming note will he strong
ly Worded indictment Of neutral nations
for protesting against the British block
ade while they permit the Germans with
out serious remonstrance 20 sink neutral
ships suspected OF carrying contrsbsno.
The foreign once, II ts understood. VIII
not raise the question OF the sinking OF
passenger ships, which America has not
passed over in silence. but will pointedly
inquire why such incidents as the sinking
Of the American freighters Leelsnow and
William P Frye because they carried
/ goods for England. were not resented
more sharply by Mr.. Wilson than the
British procedure OF haling such ships
into port. putting In the prize court such
| goods as may be suspected and permit
ting the ships to proceed. Il viii be con-
| tended that by permitting Germany 70
sink neutral merchant ships by mine and
, submarine, or British ships carrying neu-
trail goods, even after safeguarding the
crews, America has created a precedent
, which makes Il vain for her 10 appeal
! in the name Of ancient sea usage against
. the infinitely milder and more Just Brit
ish procedure.
i An authority on international law
. spoke TO me very forcibly concernig
a Americas demand that the letter OF
the law as laid down by herself In
oI1S6l be now followed by the allies.
: Your whole blockade OF the South
: was utterly illegal" he said. but w
: ! accepted IL because we realized thu
. | international law must change vii
= | conditions. The doctrine OF continJ
| Gus voyage to which we now appes
>, to stop goods for Germany being
! shipped to a neutral port was con-
, trary to past usage when you invent
a , ed IL. but we scCuiesced because II
. was fundamentally just as applied 10
the conditions existing in the SOS.
l. BY what right do you now say to Us.
- in effect. We Americans when at war
changed the old rules TO suit our neces-
a sites, but you may not do the same
/, you must be bound by the rules we made
4 fifty years ago?
: we are compelled TO blockade Ger
- many from q distance because OF the
. submarine We are compelled by Ger
|. many's geoSra phicsl position 10 extend
n .
~ surrounding her. The problem OF what
n CONSTITUTES contrabsnd would not worry
J. your statesmen II they would remember
- that the conditions OF this war. the FIRST
n war OF exhaustion In modern history,
a make every kind OF foodstuff OF vita
70 m Hillary importance to the enemy. whils
=, the inventive genius OF the last fortN
a years has utilized for wsrlike purposes
~ , practically all the ordinary goods ol
- commerce. II you cannot dispute thos'
facts how can you have the face e
. | protest against what We are doing wheI
y you applied the same principle in YOU
W own war, the principle Of taking whs
E stems YOU could, consistent with Ordinar
D. humanity, to bring your enemies 10 thei
kneesT"
p Many American 5urists and Il Is be
BIZ lieved here the American government IL
self, would be pleased II Great Britain
lg alone. or together with her allies. de
III clared a regular blockade OF the Ger
In man coasts and superseded the orders Il
es council Of March last under which tn
he present interference with trade Is beinl
a. carried out There has been an 8gitR
he ton in England for q formal blockade
in The previous objection that the BritiSl
90 navy could not blockade the Baltic coast
is Of Germany because the German Zee
he controls the Baltic and that under IN
st ternationsl law, or usage, the Who'll
n coasts OF q country must be blockade
~ to make a blockade effective, Is nov
held invalid because Of the British sub
by marine successes in the Baltic, Britain
Of Il is urged, should proclaim q submarin
IT. blockade IN the Baltic and thus regu
he larize the position. The principle srgu
nd ment for q blockade is that Americans
es whose memories OF the Stamp Act an
ed the Tea Tax render the name Of oroe
D in council odious 70 them could not re
- gard with similar hostility a blocksd
at similar in form 70 the one they them
gh selves maintained against the South.
IS The reason why q regular blockade wi
II, not be declared 20 please America csnno
ed be stated officially. II is this: Americ
re would not recognize q blockade unles
the submarines in the Baltic seriousl
It. tried to stop Scandinavian trade wit
n Germany. Such q policy would mes
mt economic ruin for Gcrmsny's little neigh
de bOrs, and would almost certainly resul
les in Sweden at least Joining the German
lin alliance. This would, as has been sat
I'd constitute a serious menace for Russii