We have only one thing to add. In times of
peace there has always been complete freedom of the seas. Ships of all nationalities have been allowed to come and go everywhere as they pleased. The British Navy ensured that. What the Germans mean by " freedom of the seas " is that in time of war the British Navy should not be allowed to use its power, while the German Army should have complete freedom to behave in its usual manner. This is neither sense nor right. Of course President Wilson has no thought whatever of falling in with this German claim. What ho says about the freedom of the seas must be read in its context with the governing condition that there must be a League of Nations. His expectation is that under such a League of Nations international pledges and covenants would necessarily be inviolable. Under these conditions, then (so President Wilson's thoughts evidently run), submarine attacks on merchantmen would be utterly impossible. We wish we could fully share President Wilson's confidence, but it would be dishonest to say that we can. We think this is the only point in this remarkable Message about which we have to express a serious reservation.
