IN FOURTH MONTH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20112, 5 December 1939, Page 7

IN FOURTH MONTH

PROGRESS OF WAR NEW ALLIED MEASURE CHECK TO NAZI TRADE GERMAN VIOLATIONS (British Official Wireless.} Reed. 1.45 pan. RUGBY, Dec. 3. To-morrow the war enters upon its fourth month and there comes into operation the Order-in-Council signed by the King last Monday which, as a reprisal for German violations cf the laws and customs of war, provides for the further restraint of her commerce by making liable to seizure German exports in neutral ships. The doctrine of reprisals is very ancient. A celebrated example of its ' application occurred during the Napoleonic wars when Bonaparte illegally purported, by a Berlin decree, to forbid neutral trade with England. England replied by Orders-in-'Couneil which had the object of cutting off all enemy commerce. A more recent example occurred in the last war when a situation very similar to the present one arose by reason of the illegal German submarine and mine action, which was answered tby the Order-in-Council of March 11, 1915, and again to-day, the object is that of preventing enemy commerce without danger to life at sea and without involving loss to neutral interests by confiscation. The German action taken. against British commerce, on the contrary, threatens not only neutral shipping and neutral cargoes, but neutral life.