Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-12

q q RUGCAY again has called the
III turn on Germany. Its action
III further emphasizes the South
~ American attitude toward Ber-
lin.
Last March the Uruguayan govern
ment dispatched a military commission
to Europe to visit France, England and
Italy in order to study the military or
sanitation Of those countries. Under in
ternational law. as it is still observed
among civilized nations, and as Ger
many professed to observe it up to the
breaking out of the great war. Uru-
quay had a perfect right to take this
action. The fact that the countries to
which the commission was dispatched
were at war made the opportunities for
observation the more valuable.
In the past military commissions
haze visited countries which were at
peace in order to study their fighting
organization with a view to reorganiz-
ing or improving the fighting organiZa-
ton of their own forces. In these cir
cumstances they were given such OPP
portunitieS as the governments of the
countries they visited thought worth
giving them. But the real time to study.
countrys war methods in order to de-
termine their effectiveness is when the
military forces actually are engaged in
war.
This apparently was the view of the
Uruguayan government. 1t has a pretty
good army on peace footing, but there
railways the possibility that the army
may have to be put upon a war footing,
and 1t is desirable to be informed of the
latest developments in organized war
fare.
There was no secrecy about the dis
patch of this military commission, and
had there been Germany would have
known all about it. for her spy system
In south America is as complete and eff
fective IS in other parts Of the world
u was no cause of establishment, there
gore. when the news was received that
Q German submarine had captured the
Crusuayan military mission.
The Berlin policy evidently was not
to sink without trace. as in the case of
the Argentine merchant vessels. or else
the submarine commander NAV have
misunderstood what was expected of
him According to the news of the cap
tpre as received from Monteyideo he
justified his action on the ground that
a state of war existed between Ger
many and Uruguay
That Is just what Uruguay wants TO
know about The government has ad-
dressed pertinent inquiries to Berlin,
through Switzerland demanding a def
milton of the German governments at
tftnde. and erin apparently has sought 10
prepare the German people for the news
that another country is in the war for
civilization against autocracy since
that is what the admission of a state OF
war with Uruguay would mean. The
German people do not seem to be
anxious to hear of more countries going
to war against them. though those
away.
The people Of Uruguay from the be-
ginning have been anti-German in their
sentiments, and the government, unlike
some other South American govern
ments, has reflected the popular view.
When the American feet visited Mon
tevideo there was very marked de-
monstration Of friendship for the
United States and hostility to Germany.
In October last the Truguayan con-
gress, voicing the popular Will. broke
diplomatic relations with Germany. Its
scfion was influenced by the revelations
OF German intrigue and German meth
DDS of controlling South America, which
the exposure of the Luxburg corre-
spondence by Secretary Lansing made
geyy clear.
The German minister was handed his
passports and departed. The neutrality
rule as to warsh!ps in the harbors of
neutral countries was waived for the
benefit of the allies, and they were
free to spend as much time as they
pleased and to secure all the supplies
1ey wanted In Montevideo.
y
The Uruguayan government took fur
Their steps that were not agreeable TO
Germany. There were eight German
steamers in the port of Montevideo. IT e
government decided that this tonna st
ought not to be left useless. 1t acco fd
inely appointed special committe . fc
study and report upon bids for rertIls