South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-30
BACK UP WILSON
IN DEMAND FOR
SHIPPING RIGHTS


CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)
within the principles OF international
law.
Third. goods cannot be declared
contraband because OF mere suspicion
as 10 ultimate destination. especially
when that suspicion rests solely upon
the fact that goods are shipped Ito
order.
This much definite information was
obtained about the note despite the
unshakable determination of the
white house and the state department
10 keep secret the text OF the COM
munication.
While the white house and the state
department acted in perfect harmony
in clOaIing the text of the note 18th
mystery, there was a marked differ
ence in the representations made by
officials in the two buildings as TO
the character of the note.
Theory Not Debatable.
Prest Wilson, speaking OF the note
to callers. said that the theory upon
which the note was based was not
debatable. that there could be no
question of the correctness Of the
American governments general con-
tentiOn. The only questions that
could he raised, he said. would be as
10 the fact in each individual instance
of detention
Where a vessel carrying an Amer
lean cargo TO a neutral port had been
held up by the British and the Brit
ish suspicion that the vessel carried
cOntraband goods was not sustained
by search, undoubtedly damages
would have 10 be paid.
Officials close to the president, used
even stronger language than he did In
describing the character of the note.
one who enjoys the presidents conf
dence to a marked extent said:
1T was a great communication, full
OF red blood, strong of sinew, the
kind that stirs patriotism"
State department officials expressed
a decidedly opposite view as to the
tone Of the note. They said it was
neither protest nor n warning, but
merely a reiteration Of principles for
which the department has cOntended
from the beginning of the war.
They said that no time limit had
been placed upon Great Britain. that
no demand had been made and that
there positively was no threat of any
action by the United States if Great
Britain disagreed with the presidents
and the departments view.
Lansing Not Sure.
Counsellor Lansing was asked the
direct question if the phrase The
United States cannot tolerate" was
used in the note. He would not ad-
NIT that ii was; I'm fact he left it to be
inferred that it was not and that no
phrase having the suggestion of a
threat had been employed.
The strongest statement secured
from any state department official
concerning the note was from one of
the officials reported to have aided in
itS prpparat iOO who said.
There is no more Justification for
a British vessel tc hold up an Amer
lean or other neutral vessel merely in
search of evidence than there would
be for a Washington policeman to
hold up a perfectly respectable citi-
zen in suspicion that he was carrying
firearms"
Ambassadors and ministers visited
the state department Tuesday for the
purpose of securing the text Of the
note 10 Great Britain but all were de-
MED it. They had TO be content with
a paraphrase of its contents. Sew
eral OF them who were seen Tuesday
night said that from what had been
told them they judged the note to be
friendly.
In the senate Tuesday Mr. Walsh OF
Montana introduced a resolution call
ing upon the president TO send to the
senate copies Of all communications
sent TO or received from any of the
belligerent powers relative to seizure
by them of shipments Of American
products consigned to neutral coun-
tries. The resolution refers particu-
larry to copper. an article largely pro-
duced in Montana. 1t requests full
information and copies of correspond
ence.
Sen. Walsh sees no reason why
copies Of this correspondence should
not be made public and gave notice
that he would address the senate on
his resolution Thursday next.
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