What The British Blockade Means
"IN a total
war the economic benefit, however, on German all the resources of terrorism were blockade must be considered as economy. The German people is called fit. Merchant ships were the principal weapon?" That pro- no better off. On the contrary: by sunk without warning. Passenger position will be found in a book the impoverishment of all the hers were, torpedbed and the de- published in German by Stefan vital forces of the conquered na- Th. Possony, an authority in mat- tions, the position of the Gerinun ters of strategy and an economist people is that of a military con-
queror economically vanquished.
of
considerable reputation. The book deals with "the economy of total war," and the passage quoted above gives a clear idea of Ger- man thought on the subject of blockade. As for "total" war. it was the German general, Luden- dorff, who in a now flimous work was the most fanatical exponent of the conception of a war which should demand the employment of the maximum resources of a coun- try, at the highest degree of in- tensity and with utter ruthless- ness, in order to achieve a light- ning victory. ·
It is precisely this two-edged process which the rulers of the Reich are putting into practice in the present conflict. On land the Germans have followed the ideas outlined in Possony's book-"the land offensive must be powerfully supported by an army of tanks and aeroplanes."
But what is the economic situa- tion which this German military process creates? It must be borne in mind that mechanised warefare is not only one of destruction, but that it has brought in its wake the enslavement to Germany of many nations on the continent of Europe. That being so, it is clear that "however great may be the booty which is robbed from the peoples conquered by Germany, the economic result is nothing short of disastrous for the Reich itself.
German Debility
The economy of the German people has for long been in a state of extreme debility. The new Ger- man conquests will make its in- ferior standard of living perman- ent, for there will have to be fur- ther sacrifices in addition to those which the German people was called upon to make in order to
By
Robert Mackay
feed the German war machine, Besides, the economic welfare of of other peoples. a people depends on the welfare
fenceless crews of lightships were machine gunned. All this was done without distinction of flag and without any respect for the neu- trality of any nation.
Any ship that came near the coasts of the British Islas risked being sunk by German magnetic mines, by submarine and by air- craft. That was what the rulers
of the Reich called a sca blockade!
Great Britain from the world fail- But the German attempt to isolate
ed. British naval forces found ap- propriate means of defence against slich acts of terrorism by sea, and the sea-borne commerce of all nations with Great Britain con- tinued.
Mr. J. R. M. Smith, Mus. B., the well-known Hong Kong musician, who is to conduct the Chamber Orchestra at the China Defence League's Benefit Recital at the Peninsula Hotel to-night.
For nearly a century inter- national usage has recognised the following principle as universal: a sea blockade to be binding must ba made effective by any nation applying it. Germany could not ever. The blockading power must which the British Government has
command the and cannot fulfil that indispensable effectively
sea, adopted become quite clear. From condition. On the contrary, she is The British Navy fulfils that con- now onwards, all ships, as well as On land therefore the policy of faced by a naval force which can, dition. It is for that reason that cargoes, consigned to ports in the Reich has achieved one result in fact, impose such a blockade- to-day the British Navy is in a Europe, to certain islands of the certain neutral only: it has terribly reduced the the British Navy. The fact that position to establish a long-dis- Atlantic and to economic potential of other peoples Gerimany claims to dispose of cer- tance blockäde-a blockade not of ports in North Africa, will have to be provided with navicerts and thereby of its own. At sea, the fain Atlantic ports does nothing to harbours, but of ocean routes. consequences of German pulicy modify that situation. Germany
issued by British authorities. That have been even more disastrous muy claim to dispose of the ports.
The Reich aspires to conquer the is a practical means of enforcing for the economy of the Reich. It The fact is that she cannot use en by land-a curious inversion the control already exercised by is no doubt in order to hide that them. It is the British Navy which of the historic process of con- the British Navy. The sea block- fact that German propaganda has debars her from using them, and quests! But the attempt is a vain ade of Germany will be a hundred given out recently this claim-os all the propagandh in the world one. This modern German version per cent. blockade. But due con- the Reich has conquered all the cannot alter that simple fact.
of Napoleon's continental system, sideration will be given to the re- Western seaboard of Europe, from
which incidentally
Indeed, failed miser- quirements of neutrals. the Pyrenees to the north, the
ably, has had but one result: it has the new system will be found to blockade of the Reich is without
made it much more difficult for facilitate legitimate trading. effect. But the truth is very dif- The fact that the region subject- Germany to obtain the products ferent, and the facts themselves et tn blockade is an extensive one she requires from overseas coun- The new measures, by strength-
best dementi of the does not in any way supply the
affect the tries. By her
and ening own action
the blockade, render German claim.
principle of blockade. What counts through the enslavement of so economic blockade of Germany is the efficacy of the blockade. many nations in Europe, Germany still more efficient. But they do Morcover, it is evident that, even has closed all the doors which more. They help to shorten the before the era of Trafalgar, a sea stood ajar and through which some war by depriving Germany and blockade did not consist merely in contraband goeds still managed to Italy of many of the elements they drawing, a cordon of warships pass.
require in order to give effect to round e port. In addition, the
their policy of conquest.-Thus the stupendous progress of maritime
sea blockade imposed by Great Inventions has prodigiously en-
Britain serves the cause of hu- larged the radius of action of sea In the light of the above facts manity by serving the cause of power. On one condition, how the reason for certain measures, peace,,
Resources Of Terrorism By reducing twentieth century It must not be forgotten that it warfare to the level of barbarian was the Reich itself which, from devastations, the new German the outset of war, fried to impose system of war results in a terrible reduction of the economic wealth of the conquered nations, without conferring any real compensating
a blockade against England, with- out however disposing of any legi- timate means to make it effective. To make up for that deliciency,
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