THE "BLOCKADE JOKE"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2381, 10 February 1915, Page 5

THE "BLOCKADE JOKE"

BRITISH PRESS RIDICULE PLEA FOR A CONFERENCE OF NEUTRALS London, February '8. The "Daily Mail" comments:—"lt lias often been said of different nations that they rarely appreciate the same jokes, but the joke of the 'German blockade' has met with instantaneous success. What perhaps particularly tickles the world's sense of humour is the crudity of the attempt to frighten not only Britain but the. United States, two countries inhabited by people who are not commonly supposed to. mistake turnips for spookes, or lose'their nerve without at least some provocation.'' > GERMANY TACITLY ADMITS HER BLUNDER.' (Reo. February 9, 5.10 p.m.) London, February 8. Tho "Times," in a leader, says that Germany's promise not to molest American vessels laden with foodstuffs may be regarded as an important admission of her blunder. The "Times's" naval correspondent writes: —Germany has not yet felt tho effects of a real blockade, and the time will surely com# 1 when she should be taught what it moans. If it is decided to blockade. Germany effectively, the move should assist neutrals as well as ourselves and tho Allies. There is no question that it could bo done by making; fuller use of our naval power."— ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) AMERICAN PRESS COMMENT. fficc. February 9, 8.60 p.m.) New York, February 8: The' newspapers generally crystalise America's position in regard to Germany's threat by asking what Germany vrill do if American ships, convoved by battleships, demand a passage through Germany's paper blockade. If Britain threatens Germany with starvation, why does not the German navy destroy the British Fleet? If Germany is unable to keep her supply routes open, why should neutrals embroil themselves with the Allies by allowing Germany to dictate where the ships shall travel? What right has Germany, because she is unable to blockade Britain, or destroy her Navy, threaten to sink neutrals? SINISTER DISAPPEARANCE OB! STEAMER. (Rec. February 9, 11.5 p.m.) London, February 9. . The British steamer Oriole (1489 tons, General Steam Navigation Company), with a crew of twenty-two, bound from London to Havre, has not arrived. It is believed that she was torpedoed at the same time as the Tokomaru. Her life-buoys have been picked up at Rye. SHIPPING • TRAFFIC FROM ENGLAND (TO HOLLAND. London, Fcbruaij 8. It is reported that regular navigation is contemplated between Rotterdam, Liverpool, and Manchester. —("Timos' and Sydnoy "Sun" Services.) INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NEUTRALS. • Washington, February 8. Senator R. M. La Follette (Wisconsin) has introduced a resolution in tho Senate authorising the President to take steps to hold an international con->-ferenco of neutrals for tho promotion of joint action to protect themselves against belligerents, and endeavour to promote tho peaco of Europe. NEUTRALS EXCHANGING VIEWS. • (Rec. February 10, 1 a.m.) Rome, February 9. j Neutrals are exchanging pour-parlers concerning Germany's blockade threat. NEUTRALS AND BELLICERENTS. A NEW BOUNDARY LINE. Where do. the rights of belligerents end, and the rights of neutrals begin? The above cable message referring to Senator La Folletto's resolution recalls tho purpose and resiilts of the meeting in December last of the representatives of twenty American Republics. This conference, originally inspired by tho inconvenience imposed upon the commercial activities of the South American Republics by the naval operations of tlio belligerents, in the present war, was regarded in America' as "the birth of a now movement m international law for tho definition of the right of the neutral as opposed to the right of the belligerent." The resolutions of the conference were, of courso, purely academic, and the net result was tho appointment of a committee to study tho new • problems created by the European war, a Btep taken at the instance of Dr." Romula S. Naon, Argentine Ambassador to tho United States, whoso speech, in support of his motion contained -the :• following statement of principle: — "If war can justify 'the setting nnids of the rights of neutrals, thors would diaajajoafc otuscommei-

cial activities arid our economic resources, in the preservation of which' are concerned both our own exist- • ence and exigencies of civilisation. Tho right of the belligerent ends whero the right of the neutral begins." Tiiis speech attracted considerable tention in tho American Press, and th<s "New York World" added the following corollary. "If all the republics of tlio West, em world in majestic council shall set up new ideas of neutral rights.claiming for them the authority of international law, embodying them, perhaps, in the phrase, No more - - European wars on this hemisphere,' wo shall have a very impressive-ad-dition to_ the vital democratic doc- . trine which ■ already says, No more i colonisation and uo more Kings on this hemisphere." .r To stretch the 'tKre£oii]<» • tablished when three miles . was th< range of a cannon shot," until it cov< ered a hundred miles of public waters, would be. in the New York "Times's"1 opinion, "not. merely a step, but many strides, towards the accomplishment of the cherished ideal of forcing nations at war to confine their molestation to each other."- '