South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-02-17
THE TWO BLOCKADES.

There still people who write to the newspapers
inquiring what the difference is between the German
blockade and the British blockade. and why our gov
eminent doesn't oppose the latter vigorously it
opposes the former.
II shouldn't be necessary at this day after the
matter discussed publicly in all its bearings
over and again for nearly years point out
the dissmilary the bockades and the absurdity
regarding them in the light And yet the case
seems TO need stating once more.
To begin with international law does forbid one
beligerent to blockade another with view starving
out the enemy. The United States itself established
classic precedent action blockade of
the Confederacy in our Civil The allies blockade
of Germany Austria is modelled after example.
We have denied the legality of the present British
blockade on technical grounds simply because it is not
complete. because # fails to seal all the German
ports. II that blockade were made hundred per
cent erective-we could complains long Great
Britain obeyed the law Of search and seizure.
This latter obligation is more important by far than
the question of complete effectiveness.
British French navies have i'm general treat
ed neutral shipping with puncuous correctness They
have stopped delayed American ships and
cargoes but they have not sunk single American
snip or destroyed a single American taken
single American life When they have seized a cargo,
they have paid Every ship cargo seized has
beer taken into prize court" and been dealt with
established forms OF international law
Germany has not declared blockade. She
could legally without destroying the allied
fleet and taking visible possession of the sea- The Ger
man government has carefully refrained from calling
present action blockade IL has merely warned all
neutrals keep arbitrary prohibited zone
which has standing international aw-ou pain OF
being sunk without Warming if they disregard the
notice And Germany has carried out her threat pur-
suing which in the law OF nations is regarded
as unprecedented. unjustided and criminal
The so-caled German blockade. then. far less law
than the British fundamental conception. 1t
is wholly lawless i'm its enforcement Even if it
granted that Germany has good right Great
Britain to outline prescribed zone and seize
ships in that zone, it is ntolerable and
repugnant 20 all law and all notions humanity
Germany should attack such ships without warning.
destroying bottoms cargoes. crews and passengers.
such conduct warfare, civilized nations have
practced warfare. Ii is piracy and murder.
crime TO try blockade. We have a
perfect right carry contraband either Germany
England. The risk is ours-that's ALL And
the risk in doing is a risk merely Of
property. Of life Germany bound by law. by
old treaties with to destroy ships if she
catches them carrying contraband her enemy. She
may lawfully confscate the contraband. be-
her blockade is unlawful The most she may
IS what ENGLAND has done occasionaly-take our
goes pay for them.
AS between the British and German procedure a dis
inguished American authority says: Is
encs between arresting alleged offender taking