Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-11-14

TN 1896 two, Dutchmen. Barents
and Heemsklrk, discovered Spitz-
bergen, and were Immediately
followed by British explorers A
British Poole-was one of
these, and he was the first man to
ind coal In Spitzbergen, In 1904. Two
notable British explorers were Foth-
eE6y and Baffin, who sailed to Spitz-
bergen on hehalf of the weIl-known
company of London merchants known
rs the Muscovy company. Carrying
with them a royal warrant. they au-
th0ritatively and definitely annexed
Spitzbergen in 1914 to the British
crown in the name of King James for
his heirs and successors. So 1t Is
certainly British vet by right of sue
cession, whatever the successive heads
OF the British government have been
or win be, since the reign Of James
vi Of Scotland and of Great Britain,
writes Dr. WiiiianIsS. Bruce In Sphere.
In 1914 Britain consented to sit at
conference table. convened by other
powers, at Christiania, to discuss In
what way the government Of Spitzber-
sen should be organized, because of
Its increasing commercial develop
ment by enterprising miners and hunt
erg OF various British
and foreign. There had been an ear
Her conference at which Russia. Nor
way. and Sweden only had sat, and at
which, understand, Britain had re-
fused to consent to sit, or at all events
definitely did not sit and did not rec
sgnize It as internationally authori-
sative. But In 1914--the tercentenary
Of F0therby and Baffin's British annex
eficn--the British government, which
Ind the ancient right and title to
Epitzbergen as heirs and successors of
King James, took up the very gener-
GUS attitude Of insisting, If British
government delegate was to sit, that
every power represented there must
irst acknowledge that Spitzbergen
was Terra Nullius, or No Mans Land,
thus not forcing British rights for
ward, but also refusing TO admit the
right OF any other power present to
have any right or title whatever. This
conference was sitting In Christania
IN July, 1914. Besides Britain, the
United States, Germany, Russia
France. Holland, Norway, Sweden and
Denmark sent delegates, but when the
war broke out the different delegates
returned to their respective countries
pnd the conference was dissolved with
out result. and Spitzbergen is. and re-
mains, Terra Nullius This Is quite
definite In spite of other unauthentic
statements that have recently appeared
In the press.
Who Shall Rule the lsland7
What will next happen 1t is impos-
slble to say, even by one who, like my
self, has been very intimately assoc
GATED with .Spitzbergen for almost a
quarter Of a century. But certain
things must happen regarding some of
the powers which We're represented az
the conference In 1914. (1) Germany
must not be allowed In future TO take
any part whatever In the organiza-
ton of Spitzbergen In spite Of her
forced bargain with Russia at the
Brest-Litovsk treaty. (2) Russia is
surely not able to t, &c a fully respon-
sible position now " y her dlsorgan-
lied government (3) The United
States has not the same interests, be-
cause her citizens have since sold their
estBtes to Norwegians; Holland has
OnaS early historical interests. France
and Denmark have no special economic
interests, and Britain, Norway and
Sweden remain the three specially in-
terested parties.
Which of these three countries Is
able to look justly after the rights of
its own subjects. as well as those of
the other two nationalities who have
Interests7 Personally. for many strong
reasons, | most emphatically empha-
size that the British government
should be asked by the world powers
ut the peace conference to exercise
its rights not only as heir to the Brit
ash rights and titles as defined and de-
eiared by Fotherby and Bafin in
A6l4. but also for the protection of
Subjects of other nations who have
some. but not exclusive. rights there.
Spitzbergen win soon be recognized