New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-18

have been not under S750,OOO,OOO.
Moreover. German ships and cargoes
valued at about S1O0,000,000 were
captured and kept in British ports
1t was no part Of wisdom on the part
Of Germany to attempt TO seques-
trate British-owned property, when
by such initial act she was bound to
lose much more than Great Britain.
But there have been other compli-
cations in this connection. Great
Britain states that Germany started
communicating and sequestratlng
British property, while Germany
claims that it was Great Britain that
set the bah rolling. Both statements
are right and both are wrong. Great
Britain did not start it. 1t was the
colonies, which did not take instruc-
ton from London in this respect,
that started sequestration. Germany
retaliated before there was any
thought in England itself Of alienat-
ing German property. The methods
Of procedure in both countries have
been far from normal, and will be
sincerely regretted by both Of them
on a future date. The sales at auc-
ton of German property in Nigeria
and the manner in which some OF the
businesses were liquidated in Hong
Kong and Australia were extremely
unfair. But the procedure adopted
by Germany in disposing Of British
property in Prussia, on the other
hand, was, to say the least, scandal
Gus. The intensity with which re-
prisals were carried on by both par
ties is worthy of a better cause and
an effort to produce better results.
For all practical purposes, both Eng
land and Germany have adopted the
worst form of confscation. AS it
happens, Germany is a loser by this
plan Of dealing with enemy property.
What Americans
May Demand
It is hard to say what course the
United States might adopt, because
it will depend very much on circum-
stances over which neither Germany
nor the United States has control
IL there should be war. lt must not
be forgotten that the feeling against
Germany has already been worked
up to high pitch, partly by the
pro-Ally sympathy of a great ma
jority of the people and partly by the
several reckless, foolish and mex
cusable acts of Germany. From the
viewpoint Of Germany's own interest
she has not acted wisely in her deal
ings with the people and government
Of the United States. It would, in
deed. be a rare event if, in case OF
war, the United States should exer-
else the same restraint as when deal
ing with an enemy against whom
feeling has not been worked up. AL
though from the viewpoint Of actual
fighting it is hard for the com
batants to come to grips, they can
damage each other in other ways.
The excuse that Germany is only
fighting England and for that pur-
pose is disorganizing the commerce
Of the United States will not go far
with the people or government in
this country. All that they would
see would be the disorganization, and
the consequent losses; further that
Germany was the cause of all.
So the chances are that in case of
war there will be a clamor for the
most drastic measures. Information
al law has lost all its force, because
the nations that alone can enforce
such law are themselves throwing it
to the winds. Law again is more or
less a matter of precedent. The
United States can easily quote the
acts both Of England and Germany
with regard to the confscation of
enemy property as q precedent for
itself to follow. Human nature must
also be taken into consideration. The
argument of the majority Of people
in this country will be as follows:
Germany is making us lose the
large and profitable trade which we
had with the Allies-it matters not
even if it was in war supplies d.
rected against Germany; we must
return this in kind. The Germans
have property, ships and money in
the United States to several times
the value of the holdings of the
United States citizens in Germany.
Even if we have to compensate for
such losses as may result from con-
fiscation' Of American property in
Germany, still it would pay US TO
confscate all German property in
the United States"
Will Congress be willing to adopt
such q course? Again, will it be
able to resist public opinion, which is