Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-06
DUAL ASPECT OF THE
FREEDOM OF THE SEAS
A British Plea for Equality Of
Treatment in Peace Times.
How Preferential Re-
strictions Worked

1
L nized an ambiguous phrase, and in as
senting TO it as one OF the terms of peace
our government expressly reserved theii
right TO put their own construction on its
meaning. As understood by the Germans ii
really meant the destruction OF British navai
supremacy but nominally what was CLAIMED
was the abolition OF the right of Capture
and blockade, except for contraband.. 1t has
generally been supposed that we should be
asked TO yield something on this point
Enemies have looked on it as possible
source of divergence between the Unite,
states and the British empire. Friends have
| suggested that a means of reconcing diverse
| opinions may be found in entrustng the
more extreme naval rights to the league of
! nations Few n any have remarked that
| the freedom OF the seas has a much wider
meaning than anything connected with can
ture and blockade, that there is a freedom
and an unfreedom of the seas in time OF
peace as well as in war; that II other coun-
tries have ean interest in the one we have
much greater interest in the other. and, in
fine, that the question should be discussed as
whole within which there can be give and
take as between different points Of view
BY the freedom of the seas in peace we
mean the right 10 navigate and traffic unre-
strictedy across the seas between all coun-
| tries. and to ports and harbors, and in
particular sea canals and territorial waters,
| without impediment or subjection TO unfair
! conditions. Such freedom has been secured
| TO the world under our free trade system, so
| far as our influence extends. But it is by no
means universal On the contrary in pre-
| war times there were many direct and SILL
| more indirect restrictions and regulations
| intended 10 hamper the ships Of one nation
and prefer those Of another For example,
many countries reserved the coasting trade
10 ships Of their own nation. Some kept
trade within their respective empires to their
own ships In other cases ships of certain
nations had preferential harbor treatment
over others The Germans gave preferential
railway rates TO goods booked for German,
ships, and by the aSroit OF control sta
;ions," set up TO prevent the spread Of dis
ease forced emigrants from tho east OF
Europe to use German ships for the Atlantic
voyage. 1t would be easy but unnecessary
TO multiply instances. There are a score Of
ways in which country may seek to give
ally and hamper or discourage the carrying
trade Of another. Now. this matter concsrns
this country very closely. Before the war
We did about half the worlds carrying trade,
and it is on the maritime position thus OBJ
tanned that our victory in the naval war
depended. Whether for the contingency Of
war or for success in peaceful commerce. the
maintenance Of our commercial marine is
the essential. Now. more than four-ffths
of our shipping was engaged In the foreign
trade that is to say, either in trade between
the~empire and some foreign country or he
tween one foreign port and another The
course Of the war has temporarily diverted
a great deal of this trade. large part OF
shipping has been sunk. and many lines.
especially in the inter-foreign trade have
been discontinued. Our rivals. friendly
rivals but none the less keen, are ready to
step into the gap. especially the United
States and Japan We have the greater ex-
perience, the advantages OF old sea-going
tradition, and. in fine the seamanship which
has really determined the naval struggle in
our favor. But we have our work cut out
if we are to regain our place. The view Of
men we'll qualified to Judge is that can
do so IL We obtain equal treatment. but
otherwise the event is doubtful.
1t is our policy, then. to stand for freedom
of the seas in peace as the pendant to free
dom of the seas in war. We require the
opening Of all marine highways and terri.
torial waters, the opening of all harbors
without discrimination between nag and flag
in the matter of dues or regulations the car
rage of goods and of passengers equally
without discrimination. These proposals are,
in fact application, though a very i'm
portant one of President Wilson's principle
that within the league there should be no
trade exclusiveness. 1t would be open to
any nation 10 impose what harbor dues il
may please--but all ships alike TO set
all nations alike 10 make what conditions
for the carriage of emgrants 1t may think
fit, but the same conditions for ships of all
nations. That is the kind OF equality that
will for the first time make the seas fully
! free TO all maritime peoples in time of peace
Such freedom 1t is greatly our interest to
secure, and so greatly TO outweigh any
partial objection that may have to the
modification of the laws Of naval war. II
would not be the least material of the boons
to be gained by the establishment OF a
league Of nations, which alone can put the
freedom of the season on Hrm basis
Manchester Guardian.
Strangely enough. the "wets' seem to be
nf t,.. mi nt lint tba Huh has iuat