The Corpus Christi caller. [volume] (Corpus Christi, Tex.) 1918-1987, 1918-12-14
THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS.

Grea, significance IS attached IN Britain 70 the
faci iha' the Allies have amended the President 5
famous fourteen Points So as to enter the Peace
conference without being committed TO amy defini.
s;on os the faur words freedom Of the seas The
london papers exhibit lively interest in this cues
ton. though most Of them indor~e the opAon Of
1ierteuant Colonel Repiugton the military critic OF
The Morning Post VINO remarked 81 have not the
Slightest idea What freedom OF the seas means nor
have met anyone who can tell me II the British
papers are little vague as 20 the exact definition
Of the terms There Is 10 want of nnannity in their
opposition 20 IT, an classes OF opinion are agreed
that this is subject that had better be left alone
For example. the London Times reports Mr. Mac-
phei~ou the Unde~Secre,ary OF War. as saying
"We are an island our one security is our
Navy We can never submit 10 anything that
can weaken this security
Archibald llurd the naval eriti, of the London
Daily Telegraph, thinks that freedom OF the seas is
another way OF saying abolish the right 81 block
ads and he argues that
.sln war. as recent events have shown, eifcc-
tive freedom OF tho seas. as Of the world de
mands maintenance OF ancient rights which
have repeatedly proved TO be the salvation Of
civilization Philip II. d Spain. Napoleon, and
the Kaiser we're defeated. and the American
Union was saved thcreh, n the Ciyil War
Abolition OF the blockade ard OF coptraband
would reduce tic value Of seapower seventy
five per cent because ii woDd enable great
continental ARMIES to be sustained almost in
definitely The sea controls the land, aud So
called freedom Of the seas means military au-
ioeracy by land
Another prominent naval expert. Mr. a II Pol
len. Of the London pall Mall Gazette, agrees, and
remarks:
Germany was defeated largely because.
at last. she Was effectively beSeigcd BY sea Had
neutras been free TO supply her, the war might
have continued another year Had an supplies.
especially froln America. bccn stopped from the
first, il would have been over long ago Nom
combaiani trading With Germany has cost Eu
PORE and America nations 81 lives and fifty
billion dollars, II this is freedom Of the seas,
it has heea . costly luxury
The Manchester Guardian IS ihc only English
paper that Processes Is kunw ihe President mind
on this subject aud o tells US
.iy freedom 81 the seas he did not mean
that naval forires>es sici as Gibraltar ol fleets
should he mterfered with hu that a peace or
ear there should be- Freedom oi neutral nasiga-
ton except when aciion Was taken hy the
League IS Nations Submarine action. II was
8fIHt0 Mhi FNatNtA AAt MNNt NufNitNA "t
blockade and the two island kingdoms had
more 10 gain hA THIS freedom Of the seas than
other countries with land borders
an the course of on exhaustive article the Lon
don Spectator makes this flat statement
Whom The time arrive, ior presenting To
Germany tic final terms of peace ior her ac-
cepiance or rejection, j. viii ae of the utmost
Importance THAT all the a.>oeiatod powers shonld
speak with one voice TO This end 70 !, essential
that eaen power should iransly state It's own
point of gieW Wherever thai, either in substance
or Is fact, differs from views by other members
81 the great partnership ia tine affairs OF na-
lions, as OF individuals. iransnesS combined
with courtesy IS an essential element OF good
fellowship For this reason II is most desirable
thai the newspaper press and the public men of
Great Britain should make clear without delay
that a. no circumstances cam an island power
which is also the center of a sea-iuked Empire
consent 10 what Is called the freedom OF the
seas Il that term carries the meaning which has
us,.aliy been attached 10 It IN this country
The reason for this definite rejection is the
given
LIST as see, then, What would be the con-