TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1914-12-18
Our Neutrality Laws.

The neutrality laws OF the United
States and England differ from those
of the countries OF the European coat
inent and not for the better. The latter
nations hold the view that il is vio.-
alton of neutrality TO supply belligcr.
ents with war material. They only permit
the civilian population Of bclligerents
TO be supplied with food and material
that serves peaceful purposes, like cot.
ton from which clothing for civilians is
manufactured. Tie Leading idea is to
mitigate the hardships and horrors Of
war.
The American and English view is
that citizens of neutral countries have
a right TO supply war materials TO bel.
ligerents, subject 10 the risk OF capture
by the enemy. Since this doctrine has
the effect 10 prolong wars and to aug
ment the horrors and sufferings OF
human slaughter. a movement has been
set on foot in this country and become
crystallized in several bills brought for
ward in Congress TO authorize the Pres
ident 10 prohibit the expectation Of war
supplies to beIlgerenfs. The agitation
arose from the TACT that up TO this day
fully five hundred thousand rifles and
n corresponding amount OF cartridges,
900 howitEers, vast amount Of powder,
400 Machine guns and millions Of steel
arrows, the new weapon employed by
ayiators which producy exeruciating in
juries TO the human body, have been
ordered by the English allies in this
country and Lave in part already
reached their destination. and that
larger orders are coming in every day.
This has suggested the correct and
humane view that II these supplies were
stopped the war in Europe would be
ended in a short time.
This suggestion is opposed by mum.
Der OF public prints, that are very path
etc about the inhumanity of wars, by
the plea that such prohibition would be
an unneutral act. This is sheer nom
sense aud even worse, II is rank hypo-
erisy. By such prohibition the United
States would practice true neutrality;
they would comply with the moral
ideas underlying neutrality laws Of
mitigating and ending the horrors OF
war, and the United States have only
recently acted on this principle. In or
der TO cut short the sanguinary reyolu-
ton in Mexico, attended by so many
and outrageous cruelties in which the
Huerta Government was the principal
offender, the President obtained an auth
orizatiOp from Congress 10 withhold
war supplies from this country that
had been Furnished to Huerta. To some
extent ii was also, we admit, military
measure since we were in a state Of war
with the Huerta Government. No one
at the time, except manufacturers Of
war-like material, objected 70 this
measure. 1t commended itself to the
humanity OF the American people, and
the same motive prompts the demand
for the same measure in regard TO the
war in Europe.
The other objection arises from finan'
eial motives. II is pointed out that,
stopping the expectation Of war sup
plies would cause unemployment among
the workingmen engaged in the man
ufacture OF these materials. This is an
exceedingly dun conception Of economic
advantage. Peace would be as great n
blessing to US as to the European count.
ries. While our gun foundries are
working with double shifts the factories
that turn out other merchandise are
curtailed or stopped in their operations,
and 1t is selfepident that the faetoriss
which supply merchandise constitute
ninety.nine per cent Of American induv