While the small neutral States of Northern Europe have avowed
their inability to follow President Wilson in breaking off relations with Germany, a neighbour whom they fear, the neutrals who are less directly menaced by German armies have spoken out plainly. Spain has declined to recognize as legitimate warfare the German threat to sink every ship found in large tracts of the Atlantio and Mediterranean, whether it is neutral or enemy, whether it does or does not carry contraband. The three great South American Republics, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, have protested also, Brazil's Note being exceptionally vigorous in toms, while-Argentina's warning is • rather colourless. But the one neutral Power which adopts Mr. Wilson's standpoint whole-heartedly is China, which declares Germany's action to be inadmissible, and threatens defi- nitely to break off diplomatic relations with her if the submarine war against neutrals is continued. China, we must remember, was the first to experience in 1900 the doctrine of " frightfulness." It was the German troops sent to China whom the Kaiser advised to behave like the Huns of Attila, and the Chinese must be taking .a special delight now in their riposte.
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