New Britain Herald Newspaper, March 6, 1917, Page 6

fiings. for its gems of thought. *?" jowhare. in. that glit- q.dotthefl«l’ndlm ‘the sake of emphasis and. for “overlooked it in th held many public offices. In fack flmhcvutmw-nnn.flotm his income. has been enhanced by public ‘funds. ‘ He has been district attorney, governor of his state, representative in congress and last, he bhas worn the toga in the Senate of the United States. 'For all his service he has received public money. At least it is not on record that he refused to: accept remunetration. But it has not been in a financial way alone that La Follette has teen “paid. ~ His ear’'has listened to the plaudits of the' multitude. Mo has ‘| nad honors heaped upon him. He has even been mentioned for the repub- Hean nomination for President. In No way have the people neglected to provide him with the good things of life. Gold and honors in abundance has been his share. This being the case it is pagticu- larly painful to have him turn and bite the hand that has been feeding him all these years. Blinded to the urgent demands 0f ‘his country, he has succeeded in holding up & meas- ure in Congress that weuld have af- forded his fellow citivens & weapon with which * defend themselves when' attacked. . Others there ware equaily ‘as guilty, but he chose - to | vory. Ancflmpublw‘u-l;“ m%umwmmu conostned. . Mistakes sre quickly forgotten and the .authors are - as quickly forgiven. But the people will net soon forgive Robert M. La Fol- lette nor will they forget his ' act, y!ndng the manaciés on the NEW BRITAIN. DAILY HBRALD. TUESDAY, MARCH 6 19 17. m m (By 'Henry: Van Dyke m x-w “York Times). * You dare to say with perjured lips: “We fight to make ocean free’—, You whose black trall of butchered ships Bestrews the bed of every sea ‘Where = German submarines wrought Thefr gh horrors! thought * What you callifreedom men call pi- racy have Unnumbered ghosts that haunt the ‘wave _ Where you have murdered cry you down, And seamen whom you would not save ' Weave now in woed-nown depths a crown Of shame for your imperious head, A dark memorial of the dead, ‘Women and children whom you left to drown. Nay, not till thieves are set to guard The gold, and cofsairs called to keep O'er peacetul commerce watch, and ward, And wolves to herd the helpless sheep, Shall men and wonun look to theg Thou ruthless Old Man of the Sea, To safeguard law and freedom on the deep! In _nobler breeds these we choose our lot and part Tl Nberty is -t- on séa and shore, ' AUSTRIX'S ANSWER ON U-BOAT WAR ©f humanity to avoid misunderstand- ings between’the monarchy and the { American' union. | Hearts’ contont. at the consumtation of their. plans but they, with the as- ‘have written one otmbllfl-tmh ‘American: lllhrr ‘The pnhllc pulse Is beating faster and faster lnd in< vertebrates need ' beware. The pity of it all is that La Fol- /| lette. will not be remembered for his che-e is nom fvfln " the - that ‘within o h assault from. without; d 1 belicve that though my mhtobllpmlun. that r duty, ‘when the only prin- ‘on W free government rest are ‘belng strained, is to ‘patriot and to follow in a ot words, that elear ‘which bids me guard and de- the ark 0! our national con- ”» 4 " Vice President Marsball, by the uigation of . such ln-\mlul rises sbove that plane to ‘vice presidents are usually as- M' The fervor of M-'wom re- m the ‘Atlantic to th:: and -then, suddenly, -earned rn in like measure. ‘That achievements—and they are not few —but for the great blunder, his leadership of that “little group of wiltul men.” “NATURE'S ART GALLERY. Admirers of Nature's artistry have been delighted M_m Past few morn- “Above all, the Amm-i{unnrhn government desires_to emphasize that it also is {ts opinion that the thesis set up by the American government, which also is represented in various learned records, that enemy mier- chantmen, apart. from cases of at- tempted fiight and resistance must not. be destroyed without precaution being taken for the safety of the per-’ sons aboard, forms, so to say, the kernel of the whole subject. Regard- ed from a higher standpoint, that thesis can of course be ranked in a further suggestive connection, and from that view its doman of applica- ;lnn can be mll'kell out more exact- y. How Nm Osn Be Warned. “From the’laws of humanity which Austro-Hungarian government tnd the Washington cabinet take, the same manner in judging the lipes, the, aiore general principle can be de- ‘ived fllt when executing the right of ¢ enemy merchantmen ‘1oss 0f human life should as far be avolded. To this prin- the belligerents canonly do jus- tioe ‘by ‘issuing warning before exer- ing the right. Thereon he can chowe the way which the aforemen- tioned thesis of the American govern- |'ment indicates, according to which ! 11. *This is the time for a stroli through the lanes on the outskirts of ¢ity. The reward is great. The fee charged for admission to the art gallery is slight physical exerdnn and such a good foster mother is Dame Nature that she gives in return not only that which delights the eye and the higher senses but the tonic of vi- tality and stamps on each cheek with her great geal the bloom of health. _ FACTS AND FANCIES Bryan would rather mot be right than president.—Brooklyn Eagle. Even the poker players may in. Crease the interest and expense of th game by the use of potato chips.— Norwich Bulletin. German diplomacy is as subtie as he sportsmanship of the man who vould fish a trout pond with dynamite ~New York World. Villa tells this ¢ountry that he will 2ot let Carransa play any tricks on 18 We will thank the pirate when we catch him.—Mefiden Daiy Journal. — -Senator Robert M. La Feliette main- mn--nnouuunm He never has wallered in his design to - kéep the mmmmmnmm—-«.w ‘| York Sun. was unkind to La Follette. Ic ‘him up the, path, stopping here ‘there to pludk 'a nosegay from wayside. And when K he had ' K2 Astec corn 1,000 years old is planted in Kansas. Spéculaters withheld it weren't satisfied with prices in the Christian ers, we . sup- pose.—Paterson Press Guardian. “Robin Hood" robbed the fch to sive %o tho poor. But in these days the commander -of the war vessel #ives warning 8o that the crew and Passengers coulq bring . themsdives into safely in the last moment or the government of states can, it this 5 nised as an hovlm)le necessity of war, isswe warning full effect also before the Mn ©of the veasel which is to ba sunk: or finally, it can, if it establishes meas- ures against enemy séa ‘trade, em- ploy a general warning for all enemy vessels in question, Has Given Waming in Every Case. *“That, the principle according to ‘which care must be taken for 'the safety of the persons aboard under- Boes . exceptions, the American gov- ernment {tself recognired. But the Austro-Hungarian government ~ be- lieves that destruction without warn- ing is admissable not onlyevhen a ves- sel .flees or offers resistance. It ap- pears to mention only one example— that the character of the vessel itself a180 must be taken into consideration. Merchantmen or other private vessels which carry a military garrison or arms aboard in order to commit hos- tile acts of any kind, may, according to valid right ,be destroyed without hesitation. “The Austro-Hungarian govern- ment need not call attention to the fact that the belligerent is released of all consideration for human life if his oppenent sinks enemy merchantmen without previous warning, as hap- pened with the vesses Electra (Ger- man) du Brovnik (Austrian) Sea- greb (Austrian) etc., which already has been repeatedly censored. And in this respect the Austro- Hungarian government never returned like for like, notwithstanding its un- contested right. In the course of the entire war Austro-Hungarian war ves- sels have not sunk one enemy mer- chantman without previous, if only eral warning. “The repeatedly mentioned thesis of the United States also allows va- rious interpretations, insofar namely, as it is doubtful whether, as it is as- serted from various sides, only armed Tesistance justifies the destruction of & vessel with persons aboard, or re- sistance of anothef kind, as is shown it the crew intentionally neglects to take the passengers into boats—the Ancona case—or if the passengers themseélves refuse to enter boats. Ac- cording to the opinion of the Austro- Hungarian government, the destruc- at uon of a warned vessel without res- the persons aboard is admis- _of the latter kind, be- 3 lefl. to the Have -you never | individual u-enm to, pullity «the right of belligerents to sink vessels. 5 ,Wearning Not to Embark. ‘Moreover; it may be pointed aut also that there is no unanimity as re- gards in which the sinking of neutral merchaninen at all is admis- sable., The obligation to issue a warn- ing immediately before sinking ves- sels leads, according to the opinion of the Austro-Hungarian government, on the one hand to harshness which could be avolded; on the other hand it is under circumstances calculated to injure the justifiate interesta of bel- ligerents. In the first place it must not be overlooked that the rescue of persons is almost always left. to mere chance, as the oniy choice remaining is to take them aboard war vessels which are exposed to any enemy influ- ence, or to expose them in small boats to the dangers of the elements; so that it therefore coresponds much bet- ter to the principles of humanity ' to prevent persons by timely warning! from using endangered vessels. “Furthermore, notwithstanding care- ful examination of all legal questions referring thereto, the Austro-Hungar- ian government could not come to the conclusion that subjects of neutral states sire entitled to travel unmolest- ed on enemy vessels. “The principle that neutrals in war< time also should enjoy the advan- tages of freedom of the seas refers only to neutral vessels, not to neu- fral persons on board enemy vessels, because belligerents, as well known, are, entitled to prevent the enemy’s sea traffic as far as they are able. Being in possession of the mecessary Wwar means and considering it. neces- sary for the attainment of their war aims, they can profifbit sea traffic of enemy. ‘merchéntmen on pain of their destruction, provided they have pre- viously announced this to be their in- tention o that everyone, whether enemy or neutral, may be enabled to avold endangering life. ~Even if doubts shonld arise regarding the jus- tifiableness of such procedyre and if the enemy should threaten. reprisals, then: this Would be an’affair for fot- tiement between the belligerents only, ‘who, s generally recognized, are en- titled to make the high seas the scene of military eperations and to oppose any interference with their enter- prises and to decide for themselves what measures should be uken against enemy sea tariffs. ‘None of America’s Business. “In ‘such cases neutrals have no other . legitimate inferest and there- fore' no other legal claim, than that: the belligerent inform them in- time ot prohibitions directed to the enemy, that they can avoid entrusting their llvl: and their goods to enemy ves- se] o o ‘“The Austro-Hungarian ' govern- ment can suppose that the Washing- ton cabinet will agree with these con- tentions which, according to the Aus- tro-Hungarian government's firm con- viction, are unassailable, as otherwise disputing their correctness would doubtless be tantamount to saying— which certainly does not correspond to the position of the United States— that neutrals must be free to inter- fere with military opérations of - bel- ligerents: or even directly assume the office of the judging as to the war means which are to be employed against enemies. “It‘appears that it also would be 2 flagrant misunderstanding if a neu- tral government, only to enable its subjects to travel on enomy vessels while tey as readily and even with far greater security could use neutral vessels, should fall to arms with a bel- ligerent power, which perhaps was fighting for its existence, not to speak of the most serious abuses for which the road would be left clear if the bel- ligerent were to be forced to lower arms berofer every neutral who de- sired to use an enemy vessel for his business or pleasure trips. Neutrals Themselves Must Bear Loss. “Never was there the slightest doubt that neutral subjects themselv¢s have to bear all the loss which they suffer by entering on land territory where warlike -operations are taking place. There. obviously is. no.reason to allow different principles for war on sea, the more 80 as at the second peace confer- ence the wish was expressed that, un- til the time when war on sea should have found a settlement by agree- ments, the law in force for war on land should be employed as far as it was ble also for war on sea. “In the spirit of. what was previous- 1y said, the rctula.tlon warning to be given to a ship which was to be sunk undergoes eXceptions of various kinHis, under certain circumstances; as for instance, as mentioned by the ‘Ameri- can government, in cases of flight and stance, when vessels may be de- stroyed without warning; while in other cases warning before the depar- ture of a vessel is necessary. “The Austro-Hungarian govern- ment can, therefore, state that it, as especially regards protection of neu- trals against endangering their lives, is essentially in accord with the Amerfcan government. . But ‘it was not only suffered to put into effect the course of this war the conception represented by her, but beyond that it also accommodated its attitude with peinful care to the thesis set up by the Washington cabinet, and would feel inclinéd to support it in its en- deavor to secure American citizens against dangers at sea, which en- deavor it supports by the warmest philanthropy and by instruccting and warning those entrusted with it. Opposed to Arming Merchantmen. _ “As regards circular note 10,602 of last year, regarding the treatment of armed enemy merchantmen, the Aus- tro-Hungarian government, it is true, has to state that. as. already men- tioned, it is of the opinion that the arming of merchantmen, even solely for defense against the exercises of the right of capture, is not estab- lished by modern international law. A war vessel is obliged to come into contact with enemy merchantmen in" a peaceful manner. It has to way- lay the vessel by certain signals, to enter into communicauon with the captain, to examine the ship’s papers, draw up a protocol and, if necessary take an inventory. Fulfillment of these duties presupposes naturally that the war vessel has full certainty that the merchantman, on its part, also will. at peaceully. ‘Without . douibt such certainty does not = eist if the merchantman possesses arma~ ment which is sufiicient to fight the war vessel. It can hardly be expect- ed to discharge its duties under the muszle of guns, with the knowledge what their purpose be, without mentioning the fact merchant- men of the Entente powers, dumml all assurances to the contrary, as: has been proved, are provided with arms for an aggressive purpose and also use them for this purpose. “It would also be a mhlntarpuu—l tion of - the duties of humanity to d mand that crews of war vessels ex- pose themselves without defense to arms of the enemy. No state could value its duties of humanity towards the legal defénders of the father- land less than its duties towards sub- Jects of foreign powers. The Austro- Hungarian = government, theréfore, have stated that its promise made to the Washington cabinet did not ex- tend, from the very beginning, to armed merchantmen, because they, according to the valid principle and right which restrict hostilities to or- ganized forces, are to be regarded as pirate vessels which may be de- stroyed. “As history shows, it was never per- mitted under general international law that merchantmen oppose ' the exercise of the right of capturs by war vessels. Even if a regulation of such kind could be found, this would not prove that vessels should be al- lowed to arm themselves, It must also he taken into consideration that the arming of merchantmen would completely transform warfare on the #ea, and that such a transformation cannot correspond with the intentions . of those wha endeavor to'bring to bear the principles of humanity in, warfare | on sea. In fect, since the abolition of privaf 0 government until a few years ago has thought in the least of arming merchantmen. At the upund peaces. conference, which was accupied ‘with all questions of naval war law, the arming of merchantmen was mentioned only once. This terance, however, is significant be- cause it was made by high. naval officers, who freely declared, . -“When & warship proposes to stop and visit & merchant ship, the com- mander, before launching a small boat, will cause a cannan shot.to be fired. A cannon shot is the best guarantee that can be given, Mer- ghu;: ships have no cannon on oard. — Austrian Poor Are Destitute. London, March 6.—The = situation among the poor classes in Austria is extréemely serious, according to com- ments in the Austrian newspapers on Premier Clan-Martinio’s ' announce- ment that thé government has appro- priated millions of kronen;for the purchase of food for the destitute: A Rotterdam despatch to the Exchange 'Telegraph company says. that the Austrian press declares that poverty 18 80 great that the gravest' events are expected-unless immediate help is given. E WITH SWEDISH LUTHERANS, The first of a number of events at the Swedish Lutheran church will be held Thursday evening when the Luther league will carry out a pro- gram. The deacons and trustees will hold ‘a joint meeting on Friday night. Axel Palmgren of Sweden will give his third illustrated lecture on “Sweden’ on March 16. - Two lectires of the se- ries have already been given and Both have had a fine attendance. The Hart- ford’ district of the New England con- ference will hold a mission meeting In the church on March 20 and 21. On March 22, the local Luther league will 25 to Meriden where they will furnish a program for the Luther league of that place. The 10th anniversary of the Swedish Tenmiperance federation will be observed in the church on March 28. An interesting program is being planned in connection with this anniversary. OFFERS GOVT. .Ju‘v.m BASE. Crab Isiand, Off New Jersey Ooast, Gift to Uncle Shm. New York, March 5.—Crab Island, comprising fifty acres in the vicinity of little Egg harbor ou ' the New Jersey coast, has been offered to the government free of cost us a site.for a maval base. The offer was mad to Secretary Daniels in a letter given out teday by Edward J. McKeever in behalf of McKeever Bros. Inc., own. ers of the island. Mr. McKeever suggests that, inas- muchias Egg Harbor is the only haven on the coast between Sandy Hook and the Delaware breakwater avail- able for such use, Crab Island- might furnigh & ‘iWéation for & naval and repair station for submarine chasers and scout boats. NOT UNDER CIVIL SERVICE. Clerkg in Office of Bank Commission- er w Hartford, March 8.—~Governor Hol- comb has exempted from the opera- tifon of the civil service act the ap- pointees of the bahk commiséioner. Notice to this effect was made this morning to the civil service commis- sion, which had already exempted bank examiners from the-operation of the act. The exemption affects only the clerical force, which is small. The civil service commission met today with Commissioners Brosmith, Brinsmade and Morris present. Bills hefore the general assembly in which the commission is interested and on which hearings are being held this afternoon were discussed. THREATENED WITH DEATH. Chicago Board of Trade Head and Packer Receive Letters. Chicago, March 6.—Letters carrying threats to kill, received by several Chicago financial and business lead- ers, have been turned over to the fed- eral Secret Service men. Among these who were said to have been singled out for attack were Jo- seph P. Griffen, president of the Chi- cago board of trade, and Nelson Mor- ris, packer. Guards have ‘been placed homes of the threatened men. |ENGLISH OWNERS | WIN APPAM BACK German War Pme Is Awarded fo Original Claimants Washington, March 6.—pritish claimants of the German prize ship Appam at Newport News, Va., today won their suit in the supreme court to Tegain possession of the vessel and | CAargo. In uulwnlllg the British libel at- tachments suits against the Appam and cargo, the court said that the British owners are entitled to resti- tution, because the Appam violated American neutrality. Treaties of 1799.and 1828 between the United Staf and Germany, the court held, do not _entitle German prizes unaccompanied by the captor warship, to indefinite American asy- lum. ' Jurisdiction of American courts over the Appam was upheld. Findings of Federal Judge Wad- dill of Virginia that the Appam Vvio- lated, American neutrality after be- ing brought into Hampton Roads by Captain Berg were sustained. Interpretation, for the first time, by the Supreme court ‘of the treaties of 1799 and 1828 between the United States and Germany was sought in two cases determining possession of the British liner ~Appam, captured January 15, 1916, by the German raider Moewe and taken to Newport News, Va., by a prize crew under Lieutenant Hans Berg. Almost. from the moment that the liner passed into 'Hampton Roads, February 1, 1916, after a trans- Atlantic dash of 3,061 miles, the legal contest for possession of ship and cargo began. - Together their value is estimated = between $8,000,000 and $4,000,000, conmstituting one of - the richest single prizes of the war. Right to asylum in American waters until the war ends, or failing that, to have disposition of the veasel and cargo determined by the state de- partment and German government, was claimed by the German captors. In an admiralty libel suit, attach- ing the Appam and ‘her cargo, -the British and African Steamship com- pany, British owners, sought re- Poasession.’ - denied that' Ger- man<American ties > {ntarna- lic and pflwo, or Mb parties carry treely.......the vesssls and | tects taken m‘:mm. couioesod nhnll such prizes bé arrested, mnlud or put undgr legal process.” That this treaty provision Appll- only to prizés convoyed into ports by warships, and not to & prise unmompnnled, was held by JM’. ( Wummu and, alsq, by the m ‘partment. The case of the British steamer Farn, brought into San Juan, Pofto Rico, in January, 1918, by n German prize crew and interned under stite - department orders was relied upon. & precedent by the German ‘claiming .the Appam. The same sideration should be given the pam, they contendéd, although state department ruled that the was a fleet auxillary. That The Hague conventions, would alter prize provisions of German-Treaties, are inapplicablé cause not ratified by Great Britain s0 was argued by the German ants. The Appam was appraised at $1.- 250,000. She is 440 feet long and of 7,800 tons. Her cargo, from the west African coast, was estimated st be- tween $2,000,000 and $3,000,000. In addition about $1 00 in gold buls lion was reported to have been takeRt oft by the Moews, which was oomi= manded by Count Zu Dohnd and caps . tured several British ships during brief but active raiding tour. ‘The Appam’s capture was oné of the most spectacular sea & ploits of the war. Intercepted off ¢ Madeira Islands while an route Dakar, Africa, to Liverpool, b ant Hans Berg and his prige crew twenty-two men rah the vessel, lights out, across the Atlantic. ! Bombs were placed chrwmut L] vessel and the vessel's ¢rew of ok 180 and also 350 kept under subjection by threats ¢ the captors to blow up the ship: interference. < The Appam srrived at Has roads with supplies = exhausted seaworthy. (The libel suit of, the] ish owners was immediately . B¢ and because of the upique and portant questions: invoived, the ‘was expedited. for hearing before supreme court ‘last Janumary. ' REVWFMB tional law gave the German claimants |' ‘authority to retain the prize. The German government, claiming the Appam &s & public ship of war be- | longing by its capture to the govern- ‘ment, was the real defendant in the 1ibel suit, although Lieutenant Berg, prize master, and German Vies: Con- | sul .von Schilling of Norfolk, -Va., were the nominal claimants. The in the lower court. Return of vessel and cargo was ordered in’ July, 1.10. ‘by Federal District Judge Waddill of Virginia. The manner of bringing m Appam into “United - States Ju American neutrality. the German-American 0 no permanent but only a temporary right to American asylum to German b appeal to the Supreme Couirt; m&"’:';r 32,000,000 was given by the German clalmants to IM ‘posses- owners were successful | ‘Waddill held & vlalnlm of 4 ston, under supervision éf 'Virginia oty $634,000 oty crew’ . re- mained aboard at Newport News. All British persona aboard were promptly released by order' of Secref Lan- sing. The three principal grounds relied upon by the German claimaats were: 1. That the Appam, as a public ship of war belonging by capture to 'the ‘German government, is entitled to; indefinite American asylum under Article 19 of the 1799 treaty be- tween the United Statés and Prussia, renewed in part: by Article 12 of the) German-American treaty of 1828, 2. That American courts are with- out jurisdiction, enjoyed solely by fFerman prize courts. 3. That the American and German governments—not American admiral- ty courts—must determine the Ap- pam’s disposition. All three principal and other minor contentions were rejected by Judge ‘Waddill.: He construed the. treaties to grant only temporary asylym . to warships—not to prizes unaccom- panied by captor warships. That the Appam, having violated United States neutrality, must bg treated “as aban- doned and stranded upon our sh " and the British owners, therefora, “‘en-. titled to restitution of their property" was his decision. The American' government inter- vened in the proceedings, but only as a friend of the court. . America No Deposit. The state department had ruled that its construction of the treaties does not give Germany “the right to de- posit spoils of war in an American port” and that they gave the Appam the right to enter American waters ““only in case of stress of weather, want of fuel or provisions, or neces- sity for repairs” and obliged depar- ture “as soon as such cause was re- moved.” However, in a note to British Am- bassador Spring-Rice, Secretary Lans- ing said he was ‘“‘unable to accept” the British envoy’s ‘suggestion that the Appam violated American neutrality. Failure of President Wilson's var- ious neutrality proclamations to inter- dict bringing of prizes to United States ports also was relied upon by the Ger- man claimants. The tre.&tiy clause unonl wh':f‘l; aa German claimants W n ol - clares thi el war, pub- vorable nbon h ing o tax was .He also noted that only one for non e a citizen could not take' i E debtors oath, and the only ‘one non-payment of which ‘zise & fifi‘ could be sent to jail. Ha had & call vote and it stood 17 to 8 fira\ ceptance 6f the report and of the bill, all democraty against the committee, Sen der and ‘Ne¢he being absent. RIGH SCHOOL CANTATA. e—diiiaen “Erl King’s Daughter $0 o Glven Grammar Scheal. -l Everything ‘s in’ resdiness for High school concert which is %o ¥ * given Friday evening &t 3:15 Owing to the Iack of stage dations in the High school ft . been found necelsary o uSe Grammar neilool auditorfum. The cantata to/be rendered . titled the Erl-King’s Daughtes, Gade, with a chorus of 168 Mrs. Howard. E. Horton will soprano sbloist and Fredesick baritone. The cantata will be in m Professor George B. is due to his untiring effosts: ht ‘concert will no doubt be & 80 syccess. The orchestra will be the supervision of Miss lga F. H of the High school facuilty. The following is tll program: (@) Carry Me Back to ginia . Mrs. ctus, by Huhn ........ &% . "’“ it ;. Laina ulem, by Homer . (b) RN S Mr. Lat Violin W‘B by Charles Miller, first violin: Robb, second violin, and G ‘Ward, third violn. it