THE CONTRABAND PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2357, 13 January 1915, Page 4

THE CONTRABAND PROBLEM

Bbitain has no desire to cause irritation or inconvenience to any neutral Power; in her efforts to prevent contraband.from reaching_the enemy, but she cannot lightly abandon any of the measures permitted by the laws and usages of war for cutting off the enemy's _ supplies. In his reply to the American Note Sir Edward Grey states the attitude of Britain in a frank and friendly way, while firmly insisting upon the right and necessity of adopting every lawful method of intercepting goods intended for the enemy. He is quite 'willing to accept the principle that a belligerent should not interfere with the trade of neutral nations except in so far as interference is necessary to the belligerent's safety. It is on this prinoiple that Britain has been acting ana must continue to act. The United States does a largo trade in copper, and the producers of this metal are naturally anxious that their business should not be interfered with. The question of copper shipments has, therefore, been keenly discussed, and is specially referred to in Sir Edward Grey's latest Note to' the American Government. Britain does not objcot to tho export of copper destined for the use or neutrals, hut she has a right to take every precaution to prevent this commodity from being passed on to her enemies, and the British Government declares that it has positive evidence of Swedish consignments being destined for Germany. It is of vital importance to Britain, and her Allies that this sort of thing should be stopped. It was announced some time ago that the copper problem was being settled on a satisfactory basis, Britain agreeing not to' interfere with American copper shipped to neutral countries provided the Governments of those countries gave assurances that it would be used for domestic purposes only and .not re-exported. This was.said to be satisfactory to ilolland, and it was also stated that the United States Secretary of State was endeavouring to. obtain the required assurances from other nations. But the present revival of the controversy indicates, that a complete understanding has not yet been arrived at. The Washington correspondent of tho London Morning Post recently pointed out that unless effective measures are taken to _ throttle tho trade in contraband with Germany "sacrifices on the battle-field will bo in vain." The correspondent goes on to say that "Gormany is relying off supplies drawn from the United States to continue the war, and these supplies are going not in German ships to German ports, but in neutral bottoms to neutral countries, and if Germany is prevented from replenishing her depleted stocks of food-stuffs and military material in tho United States, the more she will be crippled and tho sooner the war will bo brought to an end." This view of tho case is ■ strongly emphasised by a cablegram which we publish this morning stating that thousands of motors are running between Belgium and Germany carrying copper fittings, which are being_ melted at the gun factories. It is further stated that if necessary. Germany will break down her own electrical appliances and use the copper thus obtained for military purposes, Facts like those afford a most impressive proof of the efficient man* ncr in which tho British Navy is doing its work in gradually stifling tho enemy by cutting off her supplies from overseas. As Mr, Church n,i, pointed out in tho Souse of Commons recently, Britain i 3 not only carrying on her own business effectively, but is at tho ■

same time applying restrictions to certain vital commodities required for military purposes by the Gorman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Ho went on to remark that:

The German, army depopded primarily on its military material. The enormous supplies of guns and explosives of all kinds and all the scientific apparatus directed to warlike purposes which they had prepared in times of peaco had given thein an advantage, and gave them today an advantage most marked in hoth theatres of war, but that advantage would no longer, as timo passed, bo wholly theirs. Gradually the advantage would change hands. X deficiency in essential commodities necessary for waging war was already beginning to show itself markedly in the enemy's military organisation.

It is absolutely essential as far as Britain is concerned . that there should he no relaxation of the economic pressure by which our Navy is gradually but surely crippling our enemies. This makes the question of contraband of absolutely vital importance. Britain is anxious to give the fullest consideration to the representations of the United States and other neutral nations, but sno cannot afford to throw away any legitimate weapon that will assist her in crushing her powerful and ruthless,foe.