New-York tribune., 1912-03-14
From The Tribune Bureau
wa shinrtnn. March


THE NEUTRALITY LAW.--The amend
ment 10 the neutrality law to be scnieN'u
by the passage Of the joint resolution rec
commended by the President, introduced 10y
Senator Root and adopted by the Senate 'o-
dav. and which the House will pass to-fnoI-
row. will work a reform the need OF which
has long been felt by Chief Executives. lH's
measure. which authorizes the President 70
forbid by proclamation the shipment oi mu-
nItions of war Of ell descriptions INTO any
American country when such shipment VIII
in his judgment make for violence VIII 60
FAR Ia put an end to flibustering. were II
not that conditions I'm Mexico make neces-
sary exceedingly prompt action al 'nlS
time. the proposition would probably again
encounter determined opposition from tnose
who conduct a lucrative business In SUP
plying such munitions 10 those who in turn
make n business Of revolution in the 'eh-
tral and certain south American repuoiloS'
Heretofore all laws Of the Uniteh s'a'eH
have been enacted on the assumption tnd'
whenever a revolution assumed grave p'u
portlons the government attacked "oulu
recognize the revolutionlsts as beIhgerep.S'
and once that was done the course oi '"e
United STATES would be simple. There ofteh
arise conditions. however as. indeed. was
tho case I'm the Civil War, when govern
ment deems it inadvisable so to recognize
revoIutionists. and under such circumstances
the hands OF the United states have oeen
tied, even where the government was con-
yinced that every dictate of sympathy anu
the love of justice indicated the adNlssoI
ity of putting n stop 10 the Shlpmeht Oh
munitions Of war At the conference at the
White House this morning Senator ROOT re-
called an incident which occurred when ne
Was Secretary of state and when Secre-
tsrv Stimson was United States Attorney
in New York The Secretary learned Of
Of a prospective shipment OF arms. ammu-
milton. etc, to Hayti for the purpose OF IN
rututins a revolution Mr.. Root advised
Mir. Stimson Of the Importance Of preventing
the shipnent, If possible on inquiry Mr.
Stimson found that, as it was not conten-
plated 20 send men as recruits with the
shipment, II could not be reached under me
neutrality laws. Fortunately, however fur-
ther investigation revealed the fact that
part Of the shipment consisted OF currency
which somewhat resembled that Of the re-
public Of Hayti, and which was TO be Issued
by the proposed revolutionary government.
The simple manufacture OF such currency
came within the prohibition Of the laws
against counterfeiting, and on that ground
Mr. Stimson caused the arrest and impris-
onment Of the men interested, and thus one
Haytan revolution died a-borning. While
the passage Of this act will go far 70 up
hold the hands Of President Madero, it IS
also expected 10 prove most discouraging TO
Central and South American revolutionists
in general
THE HONDURAN PACT. --- Senator
Smith, Of Michigan. read TO the Commttee
on Foreign Relations to-day telegraph dis
patch from Secretary Knox, addressed TO
the President and urging the importance OF
ra tifying the treaty with Honduras s well
as that with Nicaragua. The Whitney
Bank, Of New Orleans, is understood TO he
ready 10 advance the funds necessary 10
carry out the plan contemplated I'm the
Honduran treaty. Mr. Knox bases his rec.
ornmendation on his personal observations
in the countries concerned, and makes an
earnest plea for the assistance contempla t.
| ed by the pending conventions. Despite this
plea, however. there seems 10 be little prob.
! ability that the Democratic members OF
the Committee on Foreign Relations will
permit any action TO be taken. They do
not attempt to controvert the arguments
advanced hy those who believe in the rati.
| ication OF the treaties. but merely content
| themselves with hanging back and saying