The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-03-15
rights began to be violated.

The armed neutrals declared for the
rights of neutral merchant vessels on
the high seas, and insisted that block
ade to be legal must be effective. These
principles they were prepared to en-
force by the force of their naval power,
and they continued in this stand until
the peace of Versailles put an end to
the war between England, France,
Spain and the United States. These
neutral states did not actually go to
war, but they defended their commerce
with their armed forces. This was a
big step toward establishing the rights
of neutrals. and the attitude of the
United States was largely responsible
for it,
A second league of armed neutrality
was formed twenty years later by the
same northern powers. this time includ-
ing Prussia. In the interval, another
armed neutrality obtained for a time
between Denmark and Sweden. These
two powers in 1894 formed an alliance
for the purpose of protecting their
commerce against belligerents by arm
ed force, without actually proceeding
to war. The united naval squdrons
of Denmark and Sweden patrolled the
North Sea to protect their merchant
men against aggression, and this they
did with considerable success. Neither
nation found it necessary to declare war.
The second great league of armed
neutrals grew out of the question of
the immunity of neutral merchantmen
under the convoy of war vessels Of
their own nation. This question is one
that may well have an important bear
ing on the present situation. When
the German submarine decree of Febru-
airy lst was first proclaimed, many
Americans held that a good way to
meet this illegal measure was to send
American merchantmen under the con-
voy Of American warships; and it is a
measure which may be resorted to in
the future.
1t is an accepted principle of interna-
tional law today, confirmed by number
less treaties, that belligerent vessels
have no right to stop and search neutral
merchantmen when such merchantmen
are under control of war vessels of
their own nation. The beligerent has
right to stop and question the COM
manding naval officer of the convoy,
and the statement of such an officer as
to the nature and destination of the
merchant ships under his protection is
supposed to be accepted as final. The
belligerent has no further recourse.
The United States stood out for this
principle before any other great nation,
holding that the word of honor of the
ranking naval officer was all-sufficient.
In 1893, when England and France
were at war, fleet of Danish mer-
chantmen under CONVOY of Danish
frigate was halted by English war
vessels. The Dane refused to allow
any investigation of the vessels, hold
ing with che United States that the
word Of the officer was sufficient. This
refusal was followed by fighting be.
tween the Danish and English vessels;
and the same thing happened shortly
afterward on another occasion. The
neutrals Of Europe were disturbed by
violation Of what they had come to see
as their rights. and league of armed
neutrals was formed between Russia,
Prussia, Sweden and Denmark, to up
hold by force of arms their right to 60
about their peaceful business. A year
later England reconsldered her position,
and agreed to the principle of exemp-
ton OF neutral vessels under neutral
convoy.
There is thus ample precedent for the
establishment of an armed neutrality
by neutral nation in wartime 1t is
now recognized principle of inter
national law that nation may use her
warlike forces in order to assure her
commerce going unmolested about its
peaceful pursuits. The chief armed
neutrahties of the past have been main
tanned by leagues of nations rather
than individual nations, but the princi-
pie is the same.
The armed neutralities of the past
have been formed to protect neutral
shipping against illegal visit and search.
against what the neutrals considered
illegal confiscation of property, No
armed neutrality has ever been formed
to protect neutral commerce on the
high seas against summary destruction
without warning because such a policy
has never been put into operation by
any nation before.