It is inherent hi the nature of a closer relation of states that an organ be created for the decision of disputes between the individual members of a confederation. The Swiss Confederation has at all times applied itself to this task.

America has been commonly portrayed by American statesmen and politicians, even in fervid Independence Day orations, as a nation whose policy is ever for peace, and as a nation harboring no imperialistic aims. A certain group of thinkers—or feelers—have boasted of the extreme pacifism and righteousness of America in this way in order to intensify and reenforce and promote those policies for the future. These good people have hoped to see America lead the way to a repudiation of militaristic methods and the gospel of conquest. Such are the pacifists, the church people, the reformers. A second group of people have firmly believed that, in actual fact, the record compelled and imposed on them such an interpretation of American policy.

It is proposed to examine shortly, in the following pages, the precise extent to which a neutral’s commerce with a belligerent country is liable to interruption by the cruisers of the opposite belligerent, apart from the traditional doctrines of blockade and contraband, and from the practice of reprisals. We shall also eliminate the operation of the dogma of continuous voyage. Needless to say, that dogma is one which introduces utter uncertainty into the realm of prize law, and makes it easy for belligerents to behave towards neutral commerce in a quite arbitrary fashion. When combined with a swollen list of contraband, its application amounts to a complete control of commerce by belligerents; and might best be met by a friendly war being commenced between neutrals, who might thus, perhaps, regain the freedom of which they otherwise stand deprived.