Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-22
NEUTRALITY AND WAR MUNITIONS

President Wilson, note to Ambassador Won
Bernstorff puts the American position on the
export of war munitions emphatcally and with
terse significance.
The United States has unimpeachable au-
thority in international law for its attitude on
war exports, and the German ambassador S
imputation that Uncle Sam violates neutrality
in this regard needed rejonder. 1t merely goes
TO show that beIligerents cannot be expected
10 view war developments through impartial
eyes 1t is not natural for them to do so. Their
blood ties, their patriotism, their national am
billions. prevent such a view. They are de-
voted to the success of their own countries
Just as good Americans would be if America
were engaged in war.
For the United States to prohibit the export
of arms to the Allies because Germany has not
the naval power to secure such exports for
herself would be an open violation of neutrality
The United States sells to all corners, just as
the European nations have done in times past
Germany has just as much right to secure mu-
nitions in this country as Great Britain or
France 8s~
There is another aspect of this question to be
considered because of its direct bearing on the
future of the United States. Such policy as
Uncle Sam insists upon is the surest possible
guarantee against huge standing armies the
world over. A little reasoning will make this
plain: s..
The United States is peace-loving nation.
Our aims are industrial and ethical, not mar
tial We have no desire for big army or to
collect tremendous supplies of war munitions.
If We were to go to war, we should want the
right to buy supplies in the open market, and
il would be up to our navy to escort them across
the seas to American ports. If we had not such
a right we should have to guard against the
contingency of war by laying in these great
resources for years Beforehand
If Germany s theory is to be adopted, the
small countries as we'll as the large countries
which wish to remain neutral must begin tol
collect war supplies for the future and develop
big standing armies. For If war broke out for
eign mmnition markets would be closed to them.
Thus in the long run Uncle Sam s policy of
keeping an open market for war munitions is a.
strong influence on the limitation of arma-
ments. Nations would rather build up their re-
sources of industries, men and money and i'll
var is forced upon them buy their war supplies
abroad, than put their energies into war pre-
paration. That Germany cannot ship these
supplies home is no fault of the United States.
Much international law, now written in
powder smears and blood, must be rewritten
when the war is over upon the statute books of
the world Right at present Great Britain is
carrying out policy for which the neutrals
can find no authority except that of expedieneyI
which, it may be stated, has been advanced
BIZ both sides on numerous occasions. This
policy is that of blockading all cargoes to Ger
many. The reason given for it is that the Ger
man government has taken over all food sup
plies, thus showing that they are to be admin
istered for the benefit of the government and,
through the government, for the success of the
Teuton campaign. Nevertheless, in declaringI
absolute contraband virtually every article for
import to Germany, Great Britain is setting upl
an impronptu principle in international law
which Interpretation in time of peace to come
may not uphold. s<
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