The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-03-14
Scandinavian NEWS
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT HAP.
PEsllNGS IN FAR OFF
EOR7HLAMD.
ITEMS fk0M TIE OLD HOME.
Resume Of the Moct important Events
in Sweden. Norway and Denmark
Of Interest to the Scandinav;ans
In America.

On Tuesday, the 18th. the Danish,
Norwegian and Swedish governments
handed to the German ministers in
their respective capitals notes identi-
al in tenor protesting against the bar
slng Of certain sea zones announced by
Germany and Austria. The note be-
gins by recalling the fact that during
tn" war the governments have several
times found themselves obliged to for
'nulate protests against serious in
Engagements Of the rights of neutrals
Involved by measures of various bel
i1gerent powers. It then emphasized
the fact that the governments, who
'ere, as always, inspired by the spirit
OF the most perfect loyal impartiality,
confined themselves to defending the
imprescriptible rights of neutrals.
After pointing out that the govern
ments have on previous occasions pro-
tested against measures of belliger-
ents tending to restrict the free use of
the seas by neutrals, the note proceeds
to emphasize that the governments on
this occasion are all the more bound to
maintain, in taking the same point of
view, that the obstacles placed in the
way of neutral navigation are now
more considerable in both extent and
gravity.
The note draws attention to the fact
that the only rules of international law
which might be invoked in support of
measures having as their object the
prevention Of all commerce and all
navigation with the enemy are those
relating to naval blockade.
The note af1irms that no belligerent
has the right to prohibit peaceful navi
cation through zones, the limits of
which are very distant from enemy
coasts which should be blockaded only
in legitimate manner. The govern
ments recall the universally recognized
law on naval blockade, namely that
neutral ship cannot be captured if it
Is not making any attempt to violate
the blockade and that, in the event of
ship being captured it must be
brought before prize court in COM
formity with the general regulations.
The governments declare their anx-
iety in regard to the measures which
have been announced is aggravated by
the fact that the zones declared dan
gerous, it appears, will be watched ex-
clusively by submarines, whose activ-
ity involves great danger for neu-
trails subjects, as has been shown by
experience on various occasions in the
course of the war.
Finally, the note points out, the
measures announced will be all the
more contrary to the principles Of in
ternational law if, as the tenor Of the
communications of the imperial gov
ernments seems to indicate, they are to
be applied without distinction to all
ships entering the zones described and
consequently to those not bound for
enemy ports, but on the way from one
neutral port to another.
On the ground of the considerations
set forth above the governments for
mally protest against the measures
taken by Germany and Austria-Hun-
gary and make all reservations with
regard to the loss of human lives and
to material damage which may result
from them.