Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-05-31

tHdAt-toH iEiDdnf.1
No sooner have we arrived nj an AMIGA
bile understanding with the imperial Ger
man government over the submarine dis
pute than We al once plunge into diploma
TIC correspondence with Great Britain and
France over the manner IN which those
nations are treating the mail of this and
other neutral countries. Fact s., protests
had been lodged with the countries named
long before the conclusion III the -ubma-
rine controversy. and il is Just now that
the Washington government has concluded
that this matter must now be- adjusted.
When one bad boy III The school takes III
into hI- head to make it uncomfortable for
the teacher. a. usually follows that numer-
Gus are to be found ready Ia add 10 the
confusion, and IL the effort to maintain
some degree ~ international d%rc0rum Uncle
sam appears TO have his hands full. Mex
leo and San Domingo have always been
looked u,on ~ bad children, but when the
model echolar- of Europe begin to show
how bad they can Sc. the problem becomes
one that take not only the ingenuity of the
scloolmaster. hut lay heavy toll on his
patience a. well.
Secretary Lansing. IN his commnnica-
tion to the allied governments. u not ask
ing for anything that Is not guaranteed
to this and every either neutral nation bv
the ~~vv-scs-cr n~afnst which the COM
plant i now being lodged. The United
States was not The author IL The infprna-
tionai agreement that forms the basis os
the American contention. and ~ long a..
the beltgcreut- lived within the limits III
standing agreements this country was not
disposed to enter protest. bat when abuses
multiplied until they have brought great
financial loss IL Our commercial enter
prises, and IN many Instances brought
abont confusion and commercial d|l-tru~t.
II = deemed that the time has rpened tor a
demand that these practices be- di~conim-
ued and the nations addressed M called
upon 10 ike up % their compact volun-
tarily entered into and intended to lend the
same protection to them as Is now demand
cd by the United States.
Recognizing that war brings about con-
dltions seldom iorc-cen when these and
IKE agreements are entered INTO. tins coun-
try has conceded what naght possibly he
proven % he 4 right proper for u~ TN cver-
ciSe. the tran~ms~~iou VT parcel post pack
ages between the United State- ana other
neutral conntries. hui even this concession
has not satisfied the allied governments.
and torhearanee has reached it~ limit.
II = not apnrchcndel that Ne viii ~ de-
med what we have asked. I'm the frs
plaec. nafbfu.. nam. .i., IL
out 81 an agreement ~ sought. MI tn. i-
denied. the United States has ne power wv
enforce IT. demands aud that without burn
lng an ounce of sunpuwder. But it 4. not
because We have the lever handle chat our
government =, insisting upon compliance
with the stipulation NJ The Hague con
vent'n OF 1907, but upon the ground Of
Justice. and here J. Ia be- found lifnfrr
standing than any handmade greemeuf-..
The suggestion advanced that this i'll
reference with legitimate mail has been
prompted by = desire ou the part of the
allies 10 ob>truct a. far a. possible the
efforts of the business men of the United
States 70 obtain Tor lhis country the trade
which the belligcrpnt~ have waufonlv
thrown away in their cagcrnesS 10 shed
hlo"d a. net q he gwen crpdence. prinei-
paily Tor the reason that the nationals en-
gagged IN the war have abogt AN ther can
attend I" maintaining an army IN the
Held, and The end at the struggle is StilI
too uncertain for the making q plans for
the near fuinne. The trouble haS douht-
less resulted from the Overhead of some Of
iieisi who believes that Mortality i merely
a mask behind which the business men az
the United States and other neutral roun-
tries are aiding the enemy. War unhal-
ances the minds Of many a good man. and
this appears 10 be the trouble lust here.