Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-05-07
NEED Of BETTER
NEUTRALITY LAWS
MEXICAN BORDER CONDITION \
LESSON, SAYS FOSTER
SUGGESTS NOTIFICATIONS
Should Bc Unlawful for Americans %
Ala ANY Cause When L. 5. j.
Not nt War.

Baltimore. May C--JJhn ". Foa-
ter former Secretary Of state one
one OF the foremost authorno on
international law TO au address bee
fore the Third National Peace C9u-
ference declared tina, the principal
lesson Of the present conditions on
the Mexican torder Was the need ot
better neutrality laws. Mr Foster
suggested three notifications which,
IN his opinion, the present laws should
undergo:
"Eirat. Some restriction should Do
placed upon the free commerce as a
mercantile commodity OF arms and
munitions OF war, and power should
be conferred upon the president TO
limit or suspend In his discretion their
export across the border in time "
disturbance or nFuuecu0u.
Second, IL should Dc made uniaw-
ful for Americans 20 enter the mill
ury service Of any power or chief ar
war with a nation with which wo are
vi peace. II was tho personal aiI OF
Americans that gave strength 10 the
Canadian rebellion in 1S3s. 10 the late
insurrcction in Mcxlco, and 90 the re-
cent clyll wars Iu Nicaragua and Hon
duras, In this respect the laws OF
Great Britain. France and other coun-
tries are in advance Of ours Tho
British Foreign Enlistment Act u
1870 makes So unlawful for any Brit
ifh subject 90 enter The military SER
vice Of any power az war with ma
tlon with which its government ls at
peace; and u subjects them 90 heavy
fine and lmrr.3oumcut In all itg
neutrality proclnma,ious on dlo
breaking out of hosulltlos in other nl-
tons the British government notifies
its subjects OF the penalties they VIII
incur under their own laws and II
further warns them that they will
enter such service at their own peril
IN no wise obtain any protection from
their own government, ana must suf-
fer such penaltios as the enemy may
inflict upon them We certainly
should do no less than this.
Third, Greater power should be
conferred upon the President In time
Of clVll disturbance on tho frontier Ia
limit or prohibit intercourse across
the border, to prevent the abuse OF
our territory by foreign conspirntors
and In his discretion to enforce mar
tial law on our soil within the zon,
Of disturbance.
Defects OF our neutrality Laws
was Mr.. Fosters subject lie said IN
part:
In the intercourse Of our country
with foreign natlous Il is our flrs
and most important duty To- preserve
the peace ana cultivate relations oI
friendship with our cotormnou'
nelghbors. hnd yet within the las
few weeks we have seen local dis
turbanccs In the northern statcg OF
Mexico fam u into the flames OF wal
along the boundary line. aud our en-
tire population astOundod by the raui,
concentration on tho frontier Of ,
large portion of our army equipped foi
hostile operations Those best In
formed tell us that this lamcntabl,
NhlNlllNN OF ulIAlIh mas hcoO NiOhEn
about largely by the abuse Of foreign
ors OF the contiguous territory Of th,
United States and by the active poric
ip0tion OF American citizens Grca
quantities OF arms and munitions %
war. ovadinR our custom houses hav,
been surreptlously introduced into
Mexico. Large numbers Of American
citizens both yinRly aud IN bands. &C
couterod for wur have openly crosse,
the frontier and Joined tho force
which are seeking t. overthrow a gov
ernmcnt with which we are ot peace
and when worHcd I'm battle have
sought a refuge within our borders
only to return at win and take par
I'm contest I'm which we should prop
erly be neutral Also STYLED pro
Visional Governor OF Chihuahua" ma
openly established his office nt v
Paso. Tcxns, and thcrofrom issued hi
order and carried on warllkc CORE
spondouco across the frontier; WIN
msurrectionary chiefa In other local.