The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-01-10
NO PEACE YET: MEANING OF
FURRY IN GERMAN EMPIRE

developing in Germany, indicating that
a powerful element in that country is
swinging toward the modified position
regarding peace already occupied ny
Austria. Turkey and to some degree
by Bulgaria, it is evident from
study of the letter OF j +. Nevin, the
International News Staff correspon-
dent at Washington, that even the
German peace party is still far from
prepared to meet the demands of
President Wilson. With three OF
these demands, indeed the central
powers are in accord in theory. They
have recently adopted the demands
for disarmament and have announced
their conversion to the principle of
compulsory arbitration, the universal
adoption of which was defeated at
The Hague conference by German
representatives a few years ago
Germany has always insistently
pretended to demand the freedom of
the seas and bases her ruthless and
inhuman submarine warfare on the
theory that it is a necessary reprisal
for the extension of the rights OF
search by her enemies The claim is
not well founded, for nothing could /
justly or excuse the inhuman, indis- I
criminate murder of men, women and /
children on peaceful neutral vessels /
without an opportunity being afford /
ed them to save their lives But the 1
fall9niOnc n &c. ~
der to show how far the presidential /
statement accords with the theoretic- /
al German position.
The term freedom of the seas" is |
not always clear At present any
neutral vessel is liable to seizure and
search on the high seas, which are
nominally free, if suspected by war
ship of either faction of carrying con-
traband or of contemplating running
a blockade, and should the captor so /
decide, may be held for a prize court /
1t may be said that the term freedom /
Of the seas" would imply denial of the |
right of search and seizure outside
the waters of the belligerents, re-
gardless Of the destination or cargo |
of the vessel
"The high seas are not free in
practice because of the right OF
search, which is at present recognized
as belonging to nations at war" says
Brewer in his work Rights and Du-
ties of Neutrals," and the application
of the principle would undoubtedly
make them free in practice so long AS
the vessels kept outside the three
mile limits of the coasts of both bel
ligerents. Brewer doubts whether ell
desired can be attained at once but
suggests that "a concert of great pow
ers decide to limit acts of sovereignty
to the sphere in which the acting ma
ton is in a position whether by
peaceful or war measure), to maintain
consistent and constant dominion"
Far more extensive was the idea
as defined in the first treaty signed
in 1855 between the United States and
Prussia, which provided:
"If one of the contracting parties
should be engaged in war with any
other power, the free intercourse and
commerce of the subjects and citizens
of the party remaining neuter with
the belligerent powers shall not be
interrupted On the contrary in that
case, as in full peace, the vessels OF
the neutral party may navigate freely
to and from the ports and on the
coasts of the belligerent parties.
FREE VESSELS MAKING FREE
GOODS, insomuch that all things
shall be adjudged free which shall he
hoo ri
neutral party, ALTHOUGH SUCH
THINGS BELONG TO THE ENEMY
OF THE OTHER"
This is the extreme doctrine of the
freedom of the seas. It's adoption uni
versally would end all blockades. This
treaty was amended in 1899 so that
either party, if blockading a bellig-
erent port might detain the ships oi
the other carrying contraband TO its
enemy and if necessary buy the cargo
but never confiscate or destroy it
This treaty was renewed in 1923 and
continued in force until it was re
duced to a scrap of paper" by Ger
many after the breaking out of the
European war, through the subma-
rine warfare. The freedom of the
seas agreement with Germany would
amount to no more at any time should
it suit her to break it unless the dis
armament principle should be enforc-
ed by league to enforce peace. Still
the demand presents on its face no
obstacle to peace.
The great controversy between the