Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-02-15
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FOR ENGLAND ALL TREATIES
ARE AS TIE TREATY OF
TINTERJCIl


ARE AS THE TREATY OF
LIMERICK.
Since tho war we have heard
much Of the Declaration OF London.
This declaration was adopted at q
coference summoned by England
and some OF its features, such as the
listing of cotton as forever non-con-
traband, are directly due TO English
pressure, England signed the dec
laration but failed to "ratily" it,
However, after tho war broke out,
She formally notified the United
States OF her intention to abide by
the Declaration, with few small
notifications. At the same time
Germany notified us that she would
keep to the terms OF the Declaration
so long as her enemies did Ger
many has kept her word England
has torn the Declaration to tatters.
And She justifes this conduct on the
ground that she did not ratify.
But the Declaration OF Paris Of
1856 she accepted fully, Has she
abided by it? Here it is: 4. Priv
ateering Is now and forever abol-
shcd 2. a neutral flag covers
cnemys goods, except contraband OF
war; g. Neutral goods, excepting
contraband Of war, shall not be
seized under the encmy's flag; 4.
A blockade, to be obligatory, must
be effective that is to say, it must
be maintained by a force sufficient
to prevent access to the enemy's
I coasts.'
or these four points England in
this war has grossly and ruthlessly
4 violated three. She has done more,
| for she has gone back Of the Dcclar-
! alton Of Paris and violated what was
/ international law before that time.
! The freedom Of neutral goods in
/ neutral ships had never beon legally
| questioned, yet now England seizcs
! them constantly It may be said
( that we Of the United States have no
4 grievance in the violation Of the
7 Declaration or Paris since we re-
/ fused to sign it. Why we refused
/ will appear later. But certainly the
neutral powers with whom we trade
are aggricved as are we by the
violation of all maritime law by
England.
1t will be observed that England
has not violated the first article Of
the Declaration. The reason Is
simple. This is the article which she
wished to extort from the weaker
maritime powers, and to get which
she consented to sign the others. 1t
was to this article that the United
States objected Our governme ent
felt that for this England should
pay with complete freedom Of the
seas FOR all private commerce or
whatever origin or destination, linz
tied only by proper rules as to con-
traband and blockade. And to this
England would not accede.
That we state England's position
correctly, the following quotations
will show. The first is from the
latest edition OF the Encyclopaedia
Britannica and SO represents English
opinion few years before the war
The congress was eager to turn
to other subjects, and perhaps the
most important result of it's deliber-
ations was the celebrated Declara.
ton Of the Maritime Powers, which
abolished privateering. defined the
right of blockade, and limited the
right OF capture to enemy's property
in enemys ships. Lord Clarendon
has been accused Of an abandonment
of what are termed the belligeren
rights of Great Britain, which were
undoubtedly based on the old mari
time laws of Europe. But he actet
in strict conformity with the view
of the British Cabinet, and the Brit
ish Cabinet adopted those views be
cause it was satisfied that it was no
for the benefit OF the country q
adhere to practices which exposed
the vast mercantile interests Of Brit
ain to depreciation, even by tn
cruisers Of a secondary martins
power and which, il vigorously Ell
forced against neutrals, could no
fail to embroil her with every mari
time state in the world"
The next quotation is from tn
London Times of July 16, 1857, tha
Is about fifteen months after tn
signing of the Declaration. "Lor
Clarendon may. perhaps, also hay
taken into consideration the incon
venience of right, which can onl
be maintained by force The oil
maritime law involved the probabil
ity Of quarrel with America durin
a French war, with France durin
an American war, and with both i
the event OF q conflict with Russis
A knight errant might hesitate t
throw away q favor which wa
! lchallenged by every passerby, but j
would scarcely be sorry at last Of o
honorable chance for laying 1t aside
The sacrifice on the part Of the sex
ondary maritime powers of the rigr
OF issuing letters OF Marque fui
nlshed more than an equivalent fc