UNREASONABLE AMERICAN DEMANDS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13996, 28 January 1916, Page 5

UNREASONABLE AMERICAN DEMANDS.

NAVY'S FULL POWER MAY YET

BE USED.

(Received Jan. 27, 10.10 p.m.)

Sir Edward Grey continued, that we couid not exercise the blockade without causing considerable inconvenience to neutrals, who must answer the one main 'question: Do they admit our right to apply the principles which America applied in the war between North and South, and to do our best to prevent the trade of the enemy through neutrals? If neutrals answered, "Yes,,'.' as'in fairness they were bound to do, we would say, Make, it easy for us to distinguish goods which are bona fide destined for neutral consumption. If they answered "No," then we must de-i finitely accept that attitude as a departure from neutrality. The United States's last Note contained which if conceded would make it absolutely impossible to prevent even contraband goods going wholesale through neutrals to the enemy. If we conceded all the Note asked we might as well give up the attempt to carry out the blockade, but he did not understand that the United States or any Government held that view. We were entitled to claim the utmost rights recognised under international law in previous wars. He did not intend to say what the conditions of peace would be, but he pointed out that they must end Prussian militarism, which was a constant menace to peace. The whole of otir resources were engaged in the war, and our maximum efforts, military, naval, and financial, were at the Allies' disposal, 'in'carrying on the conflict we1 would exert all 'pur efforts to put the maximum pressure on our enemies. Part of that pressure might be preventing supplies going to the enemy by using the full power of the Navy. We would relax no effort in common with our Allies to see the thing through to the end.