Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-12
London. June -.

London. June u.
ARNOLD WHITE. in a recent lee
"A ture to members of Parliament. de-
clarcd that Germany would he forced
to sue for peace when her means of
transportation by water was cut by an
effective blockade maintained by the
navics of the Allied Powers. He as
serted that the stoppagc of the enemy
sea trade and the prevention of enemy
imports vas the greatest weapon OF
the war. and in his opinion was the
only weapon by the effective use of
which the war could be won by the Al
lies.
What is the freedom of the seas Ia
me , says the average Briton. with chill
drcn to feed, clothe and educate" Mr.,
White remarked. 'The 'reply to the
question is simple. If th2 inquirer is
a citizen of any free nation the in
terests of himself and his family re-
uuire the use of the sea in time OF
peace TO be free and open to all the
nations now fighting Germany. In time
of war the communications of the
enemy must he cut. if the free nations
wish to preserve their freedom.
when a German ho~usefather and
mother. however. ask the question
What is the freedom of the seas?
lif answer VI lltlT lultlS Is IIldl ~
sea in time of peace shall he free r.
the Germans. hut that in time of wal
communications by sea shall be denied
to the free nations by sinking their
ships without trace and by denying the
ancient right of Britain to use the seas
in time of war as the Germans use the
railways Of Central Europe-to cut the
communications Of the enemy and tC
feed themselves.
Let US examine the two answers tC
the question, What is the freedom o
the scas?'
"Britain is an island inhabited by
people who for centuries have de
Tended their hearts and homes by carry
ing fighting men to the doorsteps of thu
enemy. Secondly. in time of war. by de
nyinG to the enemy the use of the sea
they have him defeated in the mos
humane and cheapest method possible
by the silent pressure of sea power.
The royal navy could not exist bu
for the mercantile marine. which orig
'naIly grew out of the English herring
fishery. Through tromwClIs naNiga'
tion laws, the British navy grew out o
the mercantile marine. Ever since thcl
continental nations have DISPUTE wit
our island nation the meaning of tn
term freedom of the seas Learned
l,utCnmsn. tfDtluS LOT instance. III ~"
commended that the high seas were ope
TO all at all times. The Germans con
tend hat though all their own Ian
communication are sacred, so long a
they can defend them, British sea com
munications in time of war belongs I
Germany rs muCh as to Berlin, althoug
the British and Americans possess tn
power to hold their own communication
at sea in the same way that the Gei
mans hold their communication on Liant
THE German claim is, What's min
on land is my own. but what is yours q
sea is also mine In one of the Grea
rooms at the Admiralty is a vast map {
the world. ON this map is marked ii
position of every warship and every me
chant steamship all over the world. I'll
positions of the ships are changed b
the Admiralty twice in the t~wenty-fou
hours. Those who rave had the priv
lege of seeing this room understand VIII
England before 1907 and Britain afte
that date. except in 1896 by Hoche, ha
always been the invader and not the il
vaded. The lines of sea communicable
on the earth's surface are as clearly do
fined as oxford street in London, Prince
street in Edinburgh, SackVille street |
Dublin or Broadway in New York. Tn
'sea lines of communication to Brutal
and her allies not only resemble, but ar