El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-12


of their ghtthe principle may be cOmprehended in the
phrase universal liability to enforced public service in time
Of emergency"
Second personal duty to refrain from voluntarily commit
ting may unnecessarily involve the nation in
No has night to counsel for any cause, unless
he be ready in the spirit Of the constitution and OF the law
1884, and in pursuance of his plain public duty to respond
emergency to call for public service any place TO
which may be assigned by competent public authority
whether in military civil employment must be left to
public authority to decide the national needs may require
and not to personal choice.
The duty Of the nation citizens reciprocal with
duty of the citizens the nation The nation using
due diligence at all times must the right to decide
whether it defend the rights Of its
citizens The citizen imagine that he has the right
TO Preptste by engaging in some unnecessary act Of
personal reckessness And losses of property life by @
at in foreign lands not justify war
circumstances may indicate.
The larger good must govern.
The intent is be taken into well the
And the final test be the general good the national
welfare and not the individual life the individuals
The nationals power having large force mill
taTy naval and ready to il deemed just
are commonly immune from outrages BY foreigners but not
always England has seldom waived compromised
involving the killing of her nationals So has every
great power The United States has carried patience to
extreme and the loss has been national loss Our people
recent years have chosen to set TOO many pacific
dents mistaken idea that reluctance strike
back invariably identical with moral courage We simply
aggression by consistently sestppng national
duty and the time may when shall have to pay
enormously for our errors
So for the general principles In the circumstances
Of the great menacng should refrain lar
possible from taking steps that their effect unduy
favor hinder either begerent group No has
toned legal night to sell munitions Of and general
supplies begerent We ready 70 sell to Ger
many England; fact sold Germany S12oOoGo0
worth in 1915 and 100000 worth in 1916 It is accident
of war that our commerce has been restricted 10
igereut group, of the activities of the British navy
If Germany should open the sea lanes our markets would be
freely open to her.
sided trade have been carrying on; Germany naturally
feels that have large part in helping to nuT her, but
she does not contend that violating law
dent But while the principle of law is not involved the
onesided fact that equity ought TO be consd
cred when try comprehend GeImanys state OF mind
at this moment Of Soo0oooe worth of goods which
sent to the warning countries last year, Germany
able to receive 100000 mainly the of the Deutsch
land Thus the ratio Of $500 to our legally neutral
markets helped Germanys enemies.
Our full recognition of this state Of facts may induce
majority of Americans make allowance to nation
fighting as Germany undoubtedly IS for preservation
But the letter Of international law says Permission to
another state to do such acts as may be necessary
preservation be supposed in any TO imply
ceson Of jurisdiction than is barely necessary for the
PURPOSE"
This enables US to set up limit in our minds be
yond which Germany any other beigerent must not
with IMMUNITY.
But The Herald said N the preceding article there
indisputahle rights which may not wisely be
forced by extreme There things being done
this both belgerent groups which seriously invade
rights but which do not justify war.
Both rights and interests require that main
tain against all Europe the legal principle OF trading with
any bgerent subject the recognized rules Of contraband
blockade England has only invaded clear prop
ey rights and extended the rules of conraband beyond all
limits hitherto known has seized mails,
outstanding the Hague convention Of 1907 which Great
Britain party expressly set forth In effect that he
postal correspondence Of neuTals begerents whatever
official private character may be- found the high
board neutral ship declared to be in
volabe And during civil the suggestion Of the
British government which expressed its belief shat all mail
sho1d be exempt from seizure visitation the American
government modified first and directed all naval
officers to forward all mails unopened to their destination
Many other instances of violation OF our rights IN this var
could be given.
But If would not be wise to 20 at this time
to enforce property rights. We we'll afford to
await the conclusion OF the attempt to collect
damages after having laid secure foundation Tor our claims
Sinking ships without warning brings up question
and approach the of the immediate
crisis with Germany There any recognized right
sink ship without warning. The strict rule Of inter
national law heretofore has required that merchant ship
lawfully prize could be taken to port, ii should
be turned loose unless the warP should find itself in
and imminent danger IN OF unexpected resistance
or attack; all naval commanders have been
expected take all possible precautions life But in
1904 British ship sunk by Russian cruisers only
The ship with contraband for Japan, but the
Cumstancs caused Britain to demonstrate She gained no
satisfaction.
The rule of the Paris and London declarations that
be destroyed qualified the latter by the provo
prize though neutral may be destroyed the captor
great danger England does not destroy neutral ships
she her merchant ships and the testi
1nony merchant ship officers and her official
Spokesman that the guns TACT intended and
used for offensive against submarines though nominay
intended and nominally permitted for defence only
Submarines changed all the established rules OF
It is only that the United States should
recognize this fact should bear mind that
much interested anybody IN protecting submarines IN
warfare declining 70 restrict their operations too
closely.
The day may come when submarines viii pc