The Spectator at war: Law of the sea

From ‘The American Note’, The Spectator, 19 June 1915:

Mr. Wilson recognizes the existence of a painfully simple issue. The issue is between the German submarines and international law. Consent to the continuance of German submarine warfare as now practised means the abolition of international law at sea. Mr. Wilson understands that he must choose between the two things. He chooses international law ; and consequently he cannot possibly yield to the submarines. He knows well that consent to German submarine methods would mean delivering the world-to an era of violence, of “no-law,” of horrible barbarism, which would be much worse than any hostilities that are now called into immediate prospect.