The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-23
Massachusetts, Senator in Lon
don Discusses Plan to Buy
German Boats.
NOT "HONEST" NEUTRALITY
Can't Reconcile 1t With Ban on
Loans to Bclligercnts by
Individuals.
Apscisi cabI. be.potch to Tnn SUI.


day OF the problems which the Euro
pcan war has raised for the United
States. lie is especially interested in
questions OF neutrality and spoke OF
the apparent Inconsistencies involved
in the Governments discouraging OF
chase OF foreign ships Senator Lodge
is senior member Of the Foreign Re-
lat!ons Committee OF the Senate and Is
regarded as it's best informed member
In questions of international law
81 will not comment on the war" said
Senator Lodge, except to say that no
other such calamity has ever befallen
humanity or civilization. The mind re-
coils even from an attempt to picture
the sacrifice of life and the misery and
suffering which those who began this
war have brought on mankind.
MY interest Is in regard to my own
country and her attitude in this great
conflict Of nations. Fortunately the
United States is outside the widespread
circle Of the war. The United States is
at peace with all nations and / trust
will remain 50. From such a conyulsion
a. this we have already suffered
severely financially and by the loss OF
some Of our best markets, and commerce
Is bound to suffer still more. This can
not be helped
Honest Neutrality Our Duty,
What we should remember above all
Is that we have a national duty to per-
form. That duty is the observance OF
strict neutrality as between the beliger-
ents, with all of whom we are at peace
But strict neutrality Is not enough. 1t
must be alone honest neutrality. as
honest as It is rigid.
Neutrality. while preserving its
benefit one belligerent and injure
another. 1t is possible to relax the
str!ctness of neutrality at one point and
tighten It at another so as to help one
belligcrent and injure another.
This is no time for neutrality OF this
kind on the part OF the United States
our neutrality now as l have said. must
not only be strict but rigidly honest and
fair. Honor and interest alike de-
mand it.
president Wilson's Administration, in
it's eaEcrness to maintain neutrality, has
made one new departure from practices
which have hitherto been unbroken.
Heretofore Governments have not
undertaken to interfere with private
persons or institutions who desired to
lend money to belligerents, II we had
been unable to borrow money or obtain
supplies from abroad while We were
cut off from all supplies from the South
during the civil war the boundaries OF
the country of which Mr.. Wilson is
President might possibly be far different
to-day.
Private Enterprise Hurt.
"But the Administration in its
earnestness to maintain strict neutrality
during the present war has thought ut
to make this new departure by prevent
ing, as far as It can. private individuals
from lending money to belligerents.
This makes it difficult to understand
what theory OF neutrality 1t favors. II
the dispatches are correct IN regard 10
the purchase by the United states Gov
eminent OF certain German ships now
lying useless in New York harbor. the
Administration regards AZ impairing
strict neutrality permission to private
persons to lend hundred million dol
lars to France to be spent in the pur-
chase of supplies in the United States.
while at the same time II appears to
think II is consonant with honest
neutrality to give 25,O00.0 900 OF the pub
lie money outright to Germany FOR
ships which Germany cannot use.
This proposed purchase OF German
ships by the American Government to
be run as Government vessels Ia cal
culated to hamper and check exports
from the United States. We are suffer
ing severely from the injury to our
trade and commerce by the loss Of our
hest markets consequent on the war.
but there are certain articles that Eu-
rope must have even now and these
exports should be encouraged In every
possible way.
"Ilalf "A dozen ships owned by the
Government can carry only an insignia |
cant fraction Of the exports we desire
to make hut they will check all prl- |
waite enterprise and prevent Americans
from purchasing ships as they would |
otherwise do In large numbers, because
they will fear Government competition |
We need every possible outlet for our |
exports nj his moment and Government
ships viii simply check some OF the /
most important channels and give us !
one ship where we might have ten.
Public vessels, or Privates
'fhr more grave, however. than the |
Interference with trade will be the in !
-e'Sational complications which these
H'"einment owned ships are certain to
produce Are they to he regarded and
treated as merchantmen. or are they
pubic vessels OF the United States ON !
ths same footing as our ships OF war,
II seems impossible that they should be
treated as merchantmen under the rules
o. international law. II one OF them
shouia De stopped when classed as
Herchantman II would he at the wors,
ohS diplomatic incident for which
ropara'lon could easily be made. I'm, 4,
snip of the United States engaged in
.o"'ihere' ana yet retaining the char