Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-16
the DIFFERENCE.

4 city; sos Victor Bldg, Kansas ei'S'
Mo.
IN THE DIFFERENCE.
All Under the above heading there ap-
Npeared in a recent issue of the Natloh !.
Fl enquirer, a prohibitionist organ OF
which J. Frank Hanly, candidate lot
president at the recent election, Is eur
or, an article dealing with the u,nel
,ance between the wrongs inflicted up
on the United States by the entente
Niles and the German alliance.
tAThe article was signed by MI Haniy
Id was in answer to criticisms Oh a
n cedine editorial in which support
wsa nromised to President wilson III
mis- EFFORTS to uphold the rights Oh tns
lInited states. After quoting lettei
criticising his stand, Mr.. Haniy WHITES =, ;,
We were not unfair to Germany III
,he editorial mentioned elmer IL
nremise. fact or conclusion
We nointed out the fact that tne
HIGH seas are world highways-tr
Maths tor all peoples; and that no ma.
tion could permit another ha.lon ~
CLOSE them to it by mere nat or plo.-
lamation. without surrenderlng lts soa
Sareirnty. losing its own sell resp.s ,
t,nd inviting the contempt OF the "oiiu
II AZ treaties and international Id" .
Ehe inherent right to the free use y. ".
J+he high seas has been moolneu "
hermit blockades in time OF war VI nc 10
4 coasts and the immediate channeis ~
I an1,roach thereto, OF one peliisei CIV
4 country by another. - u;a,,+ =,
such blockades give the rleh. ~
q search and seizure, subject always ~. ~
a judicial review for redress II 'ne
n seizure is not JUSTIFIED. ,r,, ~
It gives no right to take the nves o W
u non-combatants or even 10 eesllos
81 sh;ps. unless the ship makes a aeien s,
"a or tries to escape. The riehl u. su
Il render is absolute. And when surIe ~
4 dor ia made the right OF protec'ioAi u
Sslift and ship is imperative. ,a
But a blockade to De lawiu t a
4 within belligerent rights must DC pnyss
ical. visible and effective, Wlthih "A
throughout the prescribed area. ,h
\ . 1sreat britain has estaDllsneu SUI -
4 a Blockade of Germanys coast anu -
y 4he approaches thereto.
The British feet enectlvely oo4 - nr
u NV cruiser Gordon all PASSAGES ~ ~
from Germany by sea. Her nioeA ~
Il Is physical, visible ana enecnst .,enni
! lis therefore, valid unoer in'oi -" ''e''''
law , b,ockade as
rovernment effected. maintained
and upheld under Apraha .pra,'nhont
n &C 70 confederate states tnroushou'
tho civil war a., ~oc+ ia the
starvation of the German people, the
Smawar 10. then the German people
mst either break the blockade oy tne
strnction of the enemy ships that
.;ntair n or confess themselves van
;shed and sue for peace.
:, tho case of the confederate states
- were unable to break the federal
i,Loda and were, therefore. com
led to surrender.
f,ould the south have had the Tree.
N of the seas for the securing OF
"a clothing and munitions, the war
1,aon the states would have been
definitely prolonged.
finder the rules Of international la"
4ormany's effort to free herself from
kc british blockade must be dlrecteo
kya;nst enemy warships and not
ec.ins, Neutral merchantmen, or TO
% establishment of blockade or the
E,res and the approaches thereto, OF
.eai.mt Britain.
ragNer blockade to be valid must also
NLhvsical, visible and effective. This
III has not attempted. She has no
Means with which to establish such
&lnckade. Her warships dare not ven
B,re upon the seas at ALL much less ap'
Tear in such number and with such
kermanecy Of presence as to control
~ Gordon all passages by sea TO or
&,oro Great Britain.
Here is the confession of this from
10 Inns of the German chancellor,
oeaking only last week to the Ger
ian reichstag: 49,.
AS is generally known, we did
mot declare a blockade, but merely
established definite barred zones
within which every ship has to
count on immediate attack.
There is no effort at q lawful block
dc. No Gordon of ships. No visible
ar physical presence Of power through
ant or within the forbidden zones.
fhere is simply the effort to close
thousands of miles Of the high seas
nv proclamation or paper fiat, to all
neutral commerce under pain of death
Without warning from an Invisible
fpower beneath the sea.
AS dlTeduy SuSScStcu' thS iiSh. VI
blockade gives no right to destroy, or
s. kilI. except where there is resistance
orr attempt to escape. It gives only the
j right to search and seize, subject to
cdurt review for redress, where the
seizure Is wrongful.
In maintaining her blockade Of Ger
many, Great Britain has no doubt com
| Anitted many technical breaches of in
tvernational law She has seized some
ships wrongfully, some Of which she
? AS subsequently released. The judg
nents of her courts have not always
been satisfactory to us. She has car
Flied the right of search sometimes be
kond the warrant of law. She has
withheld American mail and has ex
> Tended her blockade to the ports oil
neutral countries contiguous to Ger
many with doubtful warrant. For this
kae American government has held