Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-14
OPERATIONS OF THE U-53
RAISE NO new ISSUES
Lord Robert Cecil Discusses Latest
Development In Relations Between
Great Britain aud u, s.
REFERS TO BLACKLIST POLICY
Declares There Is Tendency Toward
Modification Rather Than Exten-
sion-Germany Develops Sudden
Crisis With Neutrals.
TBy Associated prc.x,

LONDON. October l3.-The opera.
tions Of the German submarine boat
U-63 OFF the American coast raises no
new issues. as far rs the British gov.
eminent Is concerned, in the opinion
of Lord Robert Cecil, Minister of War
Trade. who discussed to-day with tho
Associated Press the latest develon-
ment I'm the relations between Great
britain and tho United States Lord
| Robert declared that form of warfare
ON merchantmen violated international
| law as 1t was recognized by Great Brit
ain and tho United States before the
| war. and was still objectionable to
Great Britain, but no more so than
| when IL liz done on this side OF the
water.
Referring TO reports OF meetings be-
tween Sir Richard Crawford. COM
mercin1 attache Of the British embassy
at Washington, with American buukers
and business men, Lord Robert said no
! departure in principle had been made
from tho British blockade measures
but 1t could be safely said that the
general policy leaned in tho direction
OF II modification. rather than an extern
sion. OF the black list. The reply TO
the American blacklist note was now
on the way to Washington. and this
answered the American criticism of tho
principles behind the measure. AS
regards the administration OF the black
list. Lord Robert said Washington had
! forwarded very few individual COM
| plants about IL.
/ Replying to the charge that Great
! Britain Is violating it's equal-treatmcnt
/ nrDNi SiOpS a.
! treaty OF commerce and navigation Of
! Sl5 by granting licenses to Japanese
and French exporters. whilo refusing
permits OF American shippers for aimi-
! lar goods, Lord Robert said that such
| restrictions were in the hands of the
/ Board of Trudc, but that he was per-
| sunaiiy Of tho opinion that such
treaties lost validity during u state Of
war.
Continuing. the Minister of War
! Trade said:
/ German public opinion appears to
/ be obsessed with the idea that the
/ way to deal with the alleged blockade
/ is TO have II succession Of sudden crises
with ueutrals, which may be used for
| striking diplomatic bargains. These
bargains. III the mind of Germany,
always take one form: that Germany
is to refrain from violating interna-
,ional law and humanity In return for
| the abandonment by Great Britain, IN
toward ueutruls, OF the Legitimate
military and naval measures Of the
| allies,
In the last few weeks thcre has
/ been Il rccrudcsccncc of this idea in
| Germany, coupled with good deal Of
talk Of peace and mediation, md the
press of the whole world Is now con-
! occurring that the appearance OF
submarine of the coast of the United
States is the first step in now at
tempt at bargain Of this kind, II
is an ingenious idea, but II does not
have the advantage of being novel
among nations. It has been the usual
] device resortcd to from time to time
by milltarist governments. which hayo
substituted might for right, Napoleon
tried it with his Milan DEGREES. and II
failed them. as II will fail now.
The whole Of the recent German
foreign policy has proceeded on the
same principle. Kiauchau, Agadir,
the mailed fist and shining armor are
examples Of the international pro-
redurc. In private life IL is called
barkmail. 1t may be well to say VI
Of International diplomacy that tho
sinking Of ships of Nantucket IL pre-
cisely calculated to prove ut once the
danger of any concessions by the al
lies. and the Injustice OF tho many
American criticisms leveled against
cur naval and military measures.
Three weeks ago Americans might
have argued that the presence of Brit
l~h cruisers in AM MI has
outside The three-mi,e limit was, In
view of the present stage Of tho war.
merely petty annoyance What has
happened is Il sufficient commentary on
that argument. .
When ! tell you that the Deutsch-
land took on II stock of certain metals
which were short in Germany. aud that
these metals were part of small stock
mined in allied territory, you will see
how important 1t is that we should
take precautions TO prevent allied
property getting into the hands OF
those who we know will use IL to help
our enemies. We can only do this by.
preventing British subjects at home
trading with firms that will helm the
enemy with supplies obtained from US.
II would be very we'll II we could
sit down ut any moment and Huy tho
war has settled down Into certain
Known channels, hut war never does
mat War Is II continued succession
or unexpected strokes. Recent events
nave shown that even American waters
arc not outside the area of war
Any concessions made by the allies
III regard To their war measurcs-the
'''ohdonment of the defensive arma,
ihcnt OF their merchant ships the with
"r"wai OF their cruisers from certain
parts OF the high seas. the allowing
~ STOCK" on materials needed by Cor
, ''nS l" accumulate i'm tn United
| "'"teS IRON British territory without
| H''"'' hihH "t assurance that they will
| nov rc"rh the enemy. the export Of Brit
'Sh material To firms known TO be in
| sympathy with our enemios--aIl these