Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-01-22
nEsTNAIN rHE RULLY on THn


destruction. She began the present
war by showing a ruthless disregard
for neutral rights on the seas. It
mattered not whether the nation in
jured by her flagrant violation OF in
ternational law was a powerful one
like the United States, or compar-
atiyely weak one like Holland or
Sweden. All Of them were notified
by acts that their flags would not be
respected by British Warships. Our
State Department protested against
the outrages perpetrated upon Amer
ican vessels. The outrages did not
cease. The reign of British terror
ism on the worlds waterways still
continues. The latest issue of the
London Spectator declares that Eng
lands tyrannical rule OF the seas
will be enforced at any and every
cost to acknowledgement nations. The
protests of the United States are
taken as text to preach the doctrine
that England's interests take pre-
cedence OF every other consideration.
I'VE are quite sure" says the Lon
don Spectator, the Washington Gov
ernment, let alone the American peo-
pie, is not essentially hostile to us,
does not want to injure us at a vital
point. and is not deliberately seek
ing to tie our hands behind us in the
final round of our death struggle
with Germany" This is by way OF
preface to the statement that II
Americans are ignorant Of our true
attitude, they may drift into, or
rather be enticed into, action OF that
very kind
SO the writer OF the London Spec
tator article proceeds forthwith to
tell us that England, as mistress OF
the seas, is bent upon having her
own way Her doing so may spell
utter ruin to American trade. 1t
matters not Americans must be
prepared to make sacrifices for Eng
lands sake. If they don't do this of
their own volition, England will
force them to do it. So says the
London Spectator. The latter as
serts that it is possible that our
State Department may score victory
in defining such words and phrases
as blockade" and freedom Of the
seas" But what Of that? Proving
that England violates international
law to the great injury Of the United
States, does not take away from
England the power to enforce her pi-
ratical policy on the high seas. That
she does not intend to abandon that
policy is thus announced in unnis-
taxable terms by the London Spec
tator: Call it a blockade or
policy of retaliation as regards to
war zones organic development OF
the policy of contraband,' or what
you viii The fact remains that,
come what may, we mean to use our
sea power to bring Germany to her
knees, and shall not allow the acci-
dent OF peculiar geographical posi-
tion of certain neutral powers to de-
feat policy which is essential to
our existence as a free people"
The article we are quoting con-
cudcs in this outspoken fashion
Germany is a besieged nation and
we are the besiegers. That Is the
long and short Of the matter No de-
parture from the policy and practice
or siege can or will be tolerated by
us. Wo have here England's ulti-
matum. She is resolved to Starvc
Germany into submission by cutting
Off all her sea-bornc supplies. AS
the London Spectator puts it. "Wc
Germany to her knees" The United
States and other neutral countries
arc to cooperate in this work by
humbly submitting to having ships
flying their flags overhauled by Brit
ish cruisers. In other words, the
United States is to become Eng
lands virtual ally in her war upon
the Fatherland. That would be the
meaning of a tame submission to the
piratical practices against which
Secretary of State Lansing protested
in his note of October 81 The Lon
don Spectator, voicing English senti-
mont, insists upon this submission
on the grounds that neutral countries
shall subordinate their own interests
to those OF the nation that believes
its sea power is Of such character
as to warrant 1t in assuming a dicta-
torial tone to all neutral powers.
It is the bully of the seas issuing
his orders to non-belligerent coun-
tries. whose ships, in the opinion OF
the bully have no rights except such
as he sees proper to concedc. The
high-handed manner in which he
proposes proceeding is described In
q Washington dispatch dealing with
tho plan OF tightening the British
blockade Of Germany We learn
from the dispatch that the American
Government has information that
the new English programme provides
for an actual blockade Of the Ger
man coast When this Is established
all shipments, contraband or other
wise, to Norway. Sweden, Denmark
and Holland, which are in excess OF
tho normal requirements Of these
nations, are to be seized on the as
sumption that any quantities in ex-
cess or the normal average are des-
tined for Germany. In case OF the
shipments from any American port
to any OF the four countries just
mentioned Norway, Sweden Den
mark and Holland they viii be
seized If, in the opinion OF the COM
mander Of British warship, they
are in excess Of the normal trade.
Let us see what this means In
the first place, American shippers
are forbidden to trade with four
neutral countries unless they comply
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