THE LANSING PAPERS, 1914-1920, VOLUME I



not be induced to depart from the course of action she had decided
upon. Thus, for instance, the American ship Wilhelmina recently
was stopped by the British, although her cargo was destined solely
for the German civil population, and according to the express decla-
ration of the German government was to be employed only for this
purpose.
  [What proof is there of this assertion?]
  "Germany is as good as cut off from her overseas supply by the
silent or protesting toleration of neutrals, not only in regard to such
goods as are absolute contraband, but also in regard to such as, ac-
cording to acknowledged law before the war, are only conditional
contraband or not contraband at all. Great Britain, on the other
hand, is, with the toleration of neutral governments, not only sup-
plied with such goods as are not contraband or only conditional
contraband, but with goods which are regarded by Great Britain,
if sent to Germany, as absolute contraband; namely, provisions, in-
dustrial raw materials, &c., and even with goods which have always
indubitably been regarded as absolute contraband.
  [What additional steps does Germany expect protesting neutrals
to adopt? Does she expect them to use force to compel the passage
of foodstuffs to Germany?]
  "The German government feels itself obliged to indicate with the
greatest emphasis that a traffic in arms, -estimated at many hundreds
of millions is being carried on between American firms and Ger-
many's enemies. Germany fully comprehends that the practice of
right and the toleration of wrong on the part of neutrals are matters
absolutely at the discretions of neutrals and involve no formal viola-
tion of neutrality. Germany, therefore, did not complain of any
formal violation of neutrality, but the German government, in view of
complete evidence before it, cannot help saying that it, together with
the entire public opinion of Germany, feels itself to be severely prej-
udiced by the fact that neutrals, in safeguarding their rights in
legitimate commerce with Germany according to international law,
have, up to the present, achieved no, or only insignificant, results,
while they are making unlimited use of their right by carrying on
contraband traffic with Great Britain and our other enemies.
  [The whole question of traffic in arms can be answered in the
statement: American markets are open to all belligerents; Germany
can buy arms as well as the Allies; as to whether they reach Germany
is not the affair of this Government. The complaint of Germany is
not as to the sale of arms but as to ability to transport them to Ger-
many. Because of inability to transport munitions to Germany is
Germany's misfortune, which it is not our business to cure.]
  "If it is a formal right of neutrals to take no steps to protect their
legitimate trade with Germany, and even to allow themselves to be
influenced in the direction of the conscious and wilful restriction of
their trade, on the -other hand they have the perfect right, which they



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