Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-18
CLAIMS AMERICA
ASSISTS ONE SET
Of BELL|GERENTS
Fair Play League Makes Ac-
cusation That Certain Plants
Are "Arsenals."

Declaring that certain Industrial
plants In this country have been con-
verted into arsenals and supply shops
TO aid and comfort one set Of bel ig-
erents now engaged in tho present
European struggle, the Fair Play
League Of Newark last night me-
morialized Congress-, asking for an
investigation of the conditions as
serted to be existing. The league
met in the German Evangelical Lu-
theran Church. In Bergen street.
In the course of tho meeting 1t was
decided to send letters of thanks to
United States Senators Hitchcock,
Walsh Chamber1in and LaFollett,
and to Representatives Bartholdt,
Vo1lstead, Barchfeld, Kahn, Lobeck
and Britten. The memorial will be
placed in the hands OF Congr rasscman
r. Wayne Parker for presentation to
Congress- and copies will also be sent
to Senator's MARITIME and Hughes
Rev. Max A. L. Hirsch, chairman
of the league made an appeal for
the support of the movement recent
ly inaugurated, for the relief Of war
sufferers in Germany. Austria and
Hungary The movement, which had
| its inception here. will be spread
throughout the country, and an ef-
| fort will be made to create fund 10
, be used for widows and orphans IN
these countries
A mass meeting will be held by the
league in the near future. Otto A.
Stiefel and Mr.. Hirsch are to repre-
sent the league at a meeting to be
held in the German Reformed Church
at Plainfeld next Monday. and will
make addresses.
The memorial addressed TO Con-
gress Is as follows. II
Inquiry suggested.
1.-THE Fair Play League of Newark,
representing the opinion OF many
thousands of citizens residing in New
ark. New Jersey, one of the greatesf
industrial centres of this continent,
respectfully suggests that an inquiry
be made by Congress with regard to
the enforcement by the various
branches OF the executive depart
ments of the government, Of the laws,
rules and regulations governing our
relations with the belligerent powers
to the end that such action may be
taken as will insure that all parti-
ality in the enforcement OF those laws,
rules and regulations to the prejudice
Of our commerce and to the injury Of
O. friendly nation shall cease, and to
the end that Congress shall enact such
laws as will insure that our pro-
claimed neutrality shall become prac-
ticaliy effective. shall operate in point
of fact equally with respect to all
belligerents. and cease to become a
mockery, by reason OF the conversion
OF our factories and industrial plants
| into arsenals and supply shops for one
set of the belligerents.
I'VE also respectfully suggest that
Congress shall take such action as
Will insure the safety on the high
seas of all commerce between this
/ nation and all friendly European
powers that are not engaged In the
present lafnentable war; and that as
ia preliminary retaiiatory legislation
be enacted at once with respect to
the shipment Of munitions of war
and supplies to any OF the European
powers that refuses to accede to the
doctrine that free ships make free
goods with respect to commerce be-
tween this nation and all other neu-
| trail powers.
Herewith we beg to submit tram
script of the oral presentation, made
on behalf of the Fair Play League
unto the Honorable r. Wayne Parker,
OF certain considerations which have
evoked this petition.
I'm addition to those considerations,
4
merciai advantages to be gained by
| ensuring our right to trade untram-
meled with all neutral powers, we
desire to respectfully suggest that
! inquiry will disclose that the ma
| tional desire is that peace in Europe
be speedily restored; that this con-
fiict. involving as 1t does directly
one-half of the civilized world and
indirectly the civilization and future
OF the whole world, Is not to be meas
| ured or controlled by precedents,
founded upon narrow Legislative con-
ceptions, repugnant to our people
from the earliest days of the repub-
lie; that this nation of one hundred
million people, devoted to the tasks
of peace, contains within itself the
desire and will to rise to the height
of this unique occasion; that the ma
tional aspiration will find its fullest
expression when the representatives
of these nations gathered in solemn
assemblage shall declare that the
moral duty OF a people which has
prayed unto the Almighty for peace
demands that no one of that people
shall by act or deed belle that prayer
and make ft a inockery and a re-