In view of the general line taken in the American
Note on the British blockade, and especially in the passage in which America assumes the championship of neutral rights on the highest moral grounds, what, we wonder, will be her action in regard to the Ancona' P It is true that the Ancona' was not a neutral ship, but among those on board were plenty of neutrals, including American neutrals. Unless, then, which of course is unthinkable, the championship of neutral rights which the American Executive assume so emphatically refers to goods only, and does not cover human beings, we shall, we hope, not appear to be trying to put the Washington Govern- ment in the wrong if we suggest that they should at the very least repeat the Lusitania ' warning. America's last word as to submarining in the North Sea was that there were to be no more diplomatic negotiations in regard to this particular form of frightfulness. As a matter of fact, we can hardly expect prompt action, especially as the flying of the Austrian flag offers a good deal of excuse for epistolary diplomatic pro- crastination.
