THE FREEDOM OF THE SEAS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—Is it fair to attack President Wilson's definition* of the " freedom of the seas " by oompletely ignoring the last half of it ? What is the definition ? Quoting from your article of November 2nd, it runs as follows: " Absolute freedom of navis gation upon the seas outside territorial waters alike in peace and in war, except as the seas may be closed in whole or in part by international action for the enforcement of international cove- nants." This last clause I have italicized because your article is written as though oblivious of these vitally important words. It is easy enough under this unjustifiable truncation of President Wilson's formula to suggest that "the Germans, for example, would be at liberty to organize a gigantic fleet of transports loaded with men and munitions, and those transports might move up and down the coasts of England and Scotland eeeking a safe landing- place, and as long as they kept outside the three.mile limit they would be safe from attack." But this suggestion wholly ignores that policing of the seas by the Leagueof Nations which is expressly implied in the last half of President Wilson's definition. It may be that you consider each an international policing of the seas as an inadequate substitute for Britain's relatively curtailed naval power under such an arrangement; but, if so, your criticism should have been directed to that point, for it is perfectly clear that President Wilson's conception of the " freedom of the seas" is conditioned by his view of the peace-preserving function of the League of Nations, and his confidence in the ability of the League, when established, to exercise that function effectively. That confi- dence in the League, despite your misgivings (as evidenced in previous articles), is based upon reasons of national and inter- national expediency as solid and practical and as little open to the charge of being Utopian and unworkable as have ever encour- aged embarkation on any beneficent and successful project in
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