The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-03-22

nouncement that her submarines vii
sink on sight any ships which entel
the barred zone. The United States
is justified in assuming that Germany
will carry out the, threat, therefore
that whenever a German submarine
appears In the barred zone, ii Is there
for the purpose of sinking ON sight
any ship which appears. Hence self
defense requires that the American
ship shall shoot first. The justifica :
ton was well put by Senator Walsh
when he said In debate on the armed
neutrality bill:
If one threatens to shoot another
or sight il he goes within a certain
territory or upon a certain street
where he has a perfect right to go,
and then the threatened man, taking
counsel with himself, knowing the
past record of the threatener, arms
himself in order to defend himself
against the threatened attack, and
goes where he has right to so with
in the territory which the other man
has declared as prescribed, and how
ering about there he finds his enemy,
the threatened man may draw his
having acted in self-defense."
Since the guns ammunition and
gunners will be supplied by the. Unit
ed States navy, the effect will be the
same as If the shots were fired by
American warships conveying the
merchant ship. But this would not
be war unless Germany chose so to
regard it. There have been frequent
examples, in the history of this and
other countries. of hostlities without
declaration of war.
In 1880. during our Revolutionary
war, Russia formed the northern ma
tons of Europe into the Armed Neu-
trality League to protect their ships
by convoy against violation by Great
Britain of these principles:
First, freedom of the coasting
trade Of states at war; second, that
the neutral flag should cover all goods
not contraband; third, that contra
band should be limited to essentially
warlike stores; and, fourth, that a
blockade to be effective must be one
dangerous to pass. (Taylor, Interna-
tional Public Law, $780,
The Russian empress, Catherine,
declared that she would continue a
not provoked. and forced to break the
bounds of moderation and perfect i'm
partiality;" that in such extremity
her fleet had orders to go wherever
Quire." But there was no declared
war.
A second armed neutrality league
was formed by the same sovereign
with Sweden and Denmark in 1900.
Britain retaliated by placing an en-
barge on ships of all three nations by
bombarding Copenhagen and by de-
stroying the Danish fleet. Abandon
ed by Russia, Denmark was forced to
come to terms.
From the beginnng-of the French
revolutionary war in 1898 France de-
spoiled American commerce. the
wrong eliminating in law of Octo-
Der 81. 1896, prohibiting importation
of British goods, in which Americans
did a profitable trade, and in de-
cree of March 2, 1897, that all neutral
ships with enemy's property on board
might be captured and the goods con-
fscated. With insult the French Di-
rectory refused to receive C. c. Pick,
ney, who had been sent to succeed
Monroe as minister, and ordered Mon
roe to leave France. In retaliation,
the United States armed and convoy
ed merchant ships, placed an embar-
go on commerce with France and cap
tured "a French ships, fighting several
hot engagements. But neither nation
declared war or even recognized a
state Of war, and q treaty was made
on September 80. 1900, by which all
disputes were ended, and in which it
was simply stated that the two states
were equally DESTROYS to terminate
the differences which had arisen"
In many instances the armed forces
of the United States have been used
by the president to defend American
territory and to protect American Cit
liens in their rights without any de-
claraton of war by congress. without
even any action by congress. In 1900
President Mckinley sent 5000 troops
to relieve the legations at Pekin with
out asking authority from congress.
He did SO on the principles thus stat
ed in Writings War Powers Under
the Constitution"
The constitution establishes the
mode in which this government shall
commence wars, the authority which
may authorize. and the declarations
which shall precede any act Of hostil-
ity; but 1t has no power to prescribe
the manner In which others should
begin war against us. Hence 1t fol-
lows that when war is commenced
against this country by aliens or by
citizens. no declaration Of war by the
government is necessary"
The most extreme exercise Of this
hx, D.il. T..