Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-03
BREAK WITH
GERMANY MAY
LEAD TO WAR
Hostilities Might Follow
End of Diplomatic
Relations.
| ACTION DEEMED
"SHORT OF WAR"
Actual Hostilities Always Have Fol.
lowed Similar crises-Gernany Hard
est Hit by Action Of United States
Some Other Neutral Must Be Chosen
to Safeguard Interest Of Warning Ma
tions in Countries of BeIIigerents.

diplomatic relations with Germany
lead to war. 1t is an act of protest
characterized in the usage of nations
as a measure Short of war;
The rights of Germans in the United
States and the Americans in Germany
are practically unaffected by the
severance of relations. No treaties or
agreements are broken but either ma
ton may suspend them. Such action
generally calls for notification of one
year
There is no change in commercial
relations, already b.dly crippled by
the war. Individuals and corporations
may continue their usual affairs pro-
vided they do not deal in contraband
and their obligations are as binding as
ever. The court still remains open to
them for redress but they have not
means of intervention thru diplomatic
officials. They may however, be rep
resented by diplomats Of friendly
powers.
No confiscation Of Property.
There should be no confiscation OF
private property either in the United
States or Germany, altho it may be
taken for use under certain circum-
stances.
/, The ninety-five or more German
ships tied tup in United States ports
frnay be tlsed hys the United states, <but;
the German owners must ultimately be
compensated The ships scattered in,
the ports of continental United States
and the possessions comprise some Of
the best known ocean liners. Only IN
case Of war is there possibility OF their
being absolutely confiscated, and even
then such action is doubtful, for the
United States has been the leading
exponent of the inviolability of private
property.
Mails Not MoIested.
Mails will continue to move under
the Geneva convention and other
existing conventions. There will be
no passports issued to Americans
wishing to visit the war zone unless
they have pressing business there.
In fact. so far as individuals are con-
cerned. the situation is practically un-
changed.
Germany Hardest Hit.
There is, however, one relation be-
tween the two countries which ceases
with the diplomatic rupture 1t is the
humanitarian task of guarding the
welfare of soldiers in the prison camps
OF their e1ieIli les les aIiti the care CT Ger
man civilians detained in entente
countries. This vast task, which is
being performed by American dip
lomatic representatives in England in
the French camp in Africa, and the
Russian camps extending to the
Siberian ices, will have to be confided
to other hands. Likewise the allied
British and French prisoners care VIII
pass to some other neutral power.
Not Many Precedents.
Precedent for the severance Of dip.
lonatic relations is found in modern
history only between lesser neutral
nations and first class powers and
lesser ones The United States sus-
pended diplomatic relations with
Mexico, which only recently We're re-
sumed 1t suspended relations with
Nicaragua when Zelaya executed two
Americans. When John Quincy Adams
was nresident the American charge d
affaires at Rio Janeiro demanded his
passports and returned to the United
States without instructions because he
considered unwarranted the capture
Of American ships by Brazilian war
vessels in forcing q blockade. n
England suspended relations with
Venezuela, from 1887 to 1897. and
with Serbia from 1903 to 1906. after
the murder of King Alexander and
Queen Draga- 4
Many Possibilities.
After the breaking of diplomatic re.
lations comes the possibilities of other
measures termed non-amicable modes
of redress, which also are measures
short of war" These modes of re-
dress may include reprisals, retalia-
tons non intercourse and display Of
force and still there may be no state
of war.
Non-int tercourse acts can be passed
by congress to stop commerce between
ithe United States and Germany but
/ the effect now would be negligible.
Displays: Of force have been FREE
! quently used by the United States and
European powers to impress the
earnestness Of their positions, as the
i9seli erz Of iIie5ie..aIinI.a = af=i,RkifE.5
| When all the measures short Of
war have been exhausted or either
nation decideset to dispense with them.
| comes the eventuality-war itself
More than 100 times since 100 war
| has begun before 1t was formally de-
lclared. Only twelve times in the 216
years has war actually been declared
tbefors hostiiities actually began.