The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-11
Everything P o $ 81 b | e
Must Be Conceded to
u. S. Sentiment.
FREEDOM OF SEAS
British Acknowledgement
Says They Should Be
Free to Everyone
Grave Problem.

London. Dec. 10 VIA British
Wirelcss) america rendered
brilliant service 10 the cause or
civilization and as result the
peace conference must be APP
proachcd with a determination
that everything possible must be
conceded TO American sentiment
and American view. was the basic
principle SGT forth by Sir y. T..
smith. English attorney general.
In u speech here last night. He
said:
One OF the gra,cst problems
which will bc presented at the
inter-alliCi conference will be that
which has to he based Oh what Ii
meant by freedom of the seas
and what are the concessions
which this country. having regard
To the security OF future genera
tons. II going to make
He said he was at present preparing
memoranda for the war cabinet on
the subject. and then continued:
The American nation has rendered
brilliant gerry. ce to the cause of civil
i2ation ard we are bound to approach
the pee ce conference with the deter
mination that on every point which
existence Of he empire we must CON
csde every thing that is possible to
American sentiments and American
views Eut IN defining the freedom
% the seas We must remember that
he seas of tho world are free to every
one. II has been he good fortune Of
this nation In possess most of the
great coaiing stations of The world.
To nobody who had access 10 them
~ a.
81 ueaee 1t seems to me that In time
OF war one might as well talk OF the
fiseatrr7 Of the lands as freedom of
the seas II war broke out. what
would be the good OF Belgium, North
ern france or Roumanin talking
shout The freedom of the Danube !.
The real fact is. If we examine essen
tails and do not allow ourselves to be
mislad by a phrase. the moment a
condition of war arises the great ele-
mental pr mevai forces assert them
selves and leave the order of the law
and come 10 sn assertion of military
or naval forces We do not claim for
auv naval forces pE tsse enc Fly any
sreatesG 8&ssstssaitS thar As saIace&ssesthy
universal practices to the land forces
of an enemy
Belligerepts when war Is declared.
have the right TO carry on war and
FrNtfatS nave the T1knt 10 carry on
trade in spite % The state OF war ax-
listing. bait IL and when there is a
eollis;c between the right OF bellig
erents 10 pui cons;raint on the enemy
and the right Of n.utrals TO carry on
trade then the subordinate right OF
neutrals must give way to the impe-
rious primary right of helligerents.
1T has been recognized for more
than ti,rer centuries that by the forer
of a blockade a nation which was SUI
pretne on sea was as much entitled TO
impose it's Will upon it's inferior enemy
at sea as stronger nation on land
has always been able TO impose its
will on a nation weaker on land. All
that ! am prepared to say on tho
question at the moment IN that / am
rot AZ al sure tho we will not say
to our allies at ele peace confer
ence:
we shall he quite satisfied with
such a definition OF the freedom of
the seas as will enable the British
navy in the unfortunate event of fu-
ture wars. TO do exactly what the
British navy, aided by the American
na~v has hee~ doing during the last
eighteen months"