Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-02-27

ade, If it succeeds, will owe its trl-
umph as well TO the genius OF Sir Ed
ward in knowing just how far he dare
go as to the power Of the British
navy.
The foreign office was recently ac-
cused in parliament, because OF
cookcd-up statistics printed by Lon
don newspapers, of undue lcniency in
conducting the blockade. Hun
fccdcrs!" shouted malcontents at the
ministerial bench. Stung by the bit
tcrly unfair criticisms, both Sir Ed
ward Grey and his under-secretary,
Lord Robert Cecil. departed from
their usual discretion to make re
marks which show they feel the fact
that neutral hostility must be avoid
ed even If leakage into Germany con-
tinues. "It is difficult to say as
frankly ana as candidly as ! would
like to say it," said Lord Robert, that
there are more WAYS than one in
which a war may be lost. 1t Is quite
easy 10 make very serious mistakes IN
a matter Of this kind, and they might
he So serious that recovery from them
would hc impossible. ! do not want
to dwell upon this point unduly, but
will be glad to discuss 1t with any
honorable member privately
Sir Edwards View
! do not consider it prcsumptuous
TO surmise that Lord Robert in such
"a private conversation would cover
the ground | have Just traversed. Sir
Edward Grey told the house that If
the measures against neutral trade
suggested 10y UniOnSt fircbrands were
undertaken. 81 think the war might
be over now, but 1t would be over
because the whole world would have
risen against us and we and our al
lies, too. would have collapsed under
the general resentment of the whole
world"
British officials believe the conduct
of their enemies has made more easy
the blockade of neutral ports. After
boring me with statistics and nice
points Of international law, one au-
thority remarked: what makes our
blockade of neutral ports possible are
German barbarties Consider Amer
lea. If Germany had played the game.
kept out of Belgium, committed no
crimes at sea we should not have
dared to go as far as we have, for
we should have thrown you into the
kaser's arms. AS it is, almost moth
ing we could do would have that re-
suit. After gTumbling at our inter-
ference with your commerce. you al
ways end up by saying, After all, the
Germans sank the Lusitania.' Or take
the case of Holland. The horror and
hatred aroused by the fate of Bel
gium have led the Dutch to submit
to our somewhat high handed meth
DDS without serious protest. If Ger
many had respected Belgium, all our
tact might not have prevented Hol-
land from entering the German al
lance, with results disastrous to our
selves
The specific controversy between
America and Britain will now be CON
sidorcd. / have outlined the general
situation and labored over perhaps
obvious points, because a clear under
standing of the underlying issues is
necessary to form clear judgment
on the merits of the particular dis
pute Of most interest at present.
Great Britain's methods Of con-
Quoting the blockade is simple. Prac-
tically all ships crossing the Atlantic
for ports i'm any one Of the four nou-
tral countries adjoining Germany are
stopped on the high seas and brought
in for eXaminatiOn-to Kirkwall in
the OrkneyS if the northern route is
attempted, to Deal in the Downs il
the neutral tries to go through the
channel. Exceptions to this are rare
l and getting rarcr. When the sus-
pccted ship reaches port her manifos
is sent ashore and tclegraphed tc
London. whore the cargo is passed
upon by the contraband committee.
Committees Duties.
! This committee is presided over by
! +. NJ. Pollock. a unionist member ot
parliament. and is composed. witt
| Mr.. Pollock. of two representatives ot
| the admiralty, one of the foreign of
flee and one Of the board of trade
/ II decides whether the goods or
board the detained ship are manifest
ly for neutral consumption-in whicl
case the ship is released or whether
grounds exist to suspect that all oil
part of the cargo will filter through
to Germany In the latter case, The
suspected cargo is placed in the pri2,
court. and the prize court is so over
hurdeucd with work that eXasperatinl
delays are inevitable.
Mr.. PollocH explained how his com
mittce tries to mitigate the hard
ships imposed on neutral shippers
I"Important agreements" he said
"haVe been made with shipping as
sociatious ana companies at neutra
ports under which they retain or re
turn goods which are questioned
This enables us to avoid further con
gestion at .hc ports bv making It pos
siblc for vessels TO proceed upon Tn,
understanding that tho cunetiono,