The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-03
MAY ESCAPE WAR
Breaking Relations Without
Conflict Has Many Precedents.
Measures Short of War Possible
for America.
STOP TRADE WITH GERMANY
NOn-IntercOurse Act May Be
Passed by Congress.
Display of Force Would Signify
Earnest Intent.

w L. L., req. O."tTe-
cedent for the severance of dip
lomatic relations is found in modern
history only between lesser neutral ma
tons and first class powers and lesser
ones. The United States suspended
diplomatic relations with Mexico and
only recently were they resumed. 1t
suspended diplomatic relations with
Nicaragua when the dictator, Zelaya,
executed two Americans, Cannon and
Groce. When John Quincy Adams
was president the American charge
d'affaires at Rio demanded his pass
ports and returned to the United
States without instructions because he
considered unwarranted the capture
of American ships by Brazilian war
vessels, enforcing a blockade. Presi-
dent Adams did not disapprove, but
Brazil contended the charges action
was unwarranted by adequate "inten-
tional cause" and later the Ameri-
can legation was reopened.
Under President Buchanan the
American minister to Mexico suspend
ed the relations of his legation until
he could get the view of the United
States on what he considered forced
loans upon Americans in Mexico.
After the breaking off diplomatic
relations come the possibility of other
measures terms communicable modes
of redress which also are measures
short of war"
These modes of redress may in
clude reprisals, retaliations, non-inter-
course and display of force and still
there may be no state of war. There
are. precedents of various sorts and
range for such action.
In 1870. congress authorized Pres
ident Grant to suspend traffic of goods
to Canada in bond as an extreme
measure to prohibit Canadian vessels
in American waters of the attitude of
the Canadian government toward
American fishermen. An embargo
on ships or exports is legitimate. Con-
gress imposed such embargoeS in the
years preceding the war of 1912 on
trade with both England and France.
Non-Intercoursc Acts.
AS a rule, those were pacific en-
bargoes and prevented American
ships from carrying goods to the en-
bargoed countries. Great Britain in
1903, however, laid a hostile embargo
on Dutch vessels in British ports.
NOn-intercourse acts can be PASSED by
congress to stop commerce between
the United States and Germany but as
the war already has put the trade at u
low ebb, the effect will be negligible.
Such acts were paired against Great
Britain and France between 1898 and
1909. Displays of force have been
frequently used by the United States
and European powers to impress the
earnestness of their position. Writers
on international law class the allied
marc's to the relief of the legations a
Peking as a display of force short of
war. When all the measures short of
war have been exhausted or either
nation decides to dispense with them.
comes the eventuality-war itself
More than 100 times since 1900 war
has begun before it was formally de-
clared Only twelve times in the PIG
years has war actually been declared
before hostilities began. The latest
notable instance was the opening ac-
| tion of the Russo-JapaEese war. when
: Admiral Togo struck a Russian fleet.
| Russia complained of a surprise attack
but Japan pointed out she had notified
Russia she was breaking off relations
and the right to take such independ-
ent action might be deemed best.
The Hague convention of 1907 took
notice of the situation and adopted
an article ma king it mandatory for
nation to declare war before beginning
| hostilities
| Anything Is Possible.
Germany and the United States with
other nations, agreed to it and also
agreed that neutral powers must be
notified of the state of war without
delay 1t is agreed, however, that
! there might be an ultimatum with
conditional declaration of war. The
Hague conventions and the fabric of
/ international law generally have been
/ SO torn during the present war, how
ever. that no diplomatist ventures
to say how far any nation may be ex-
pected to regard itself as bound by
| the provisions
| 1t might be said that almost any
thing is within range of possibilities.
! In general practice, a declaration of
war has come to be regarded more as
| a call to arms than as a notification
: to prospective enemy. With the be-
ginning of war the status of citizens,
treaties. consuls. mails, commerce and
1 property undergoes no change which
varies in different degrees from that
prevailing under a break of diplomatic
relations.