The weekly soliphone., 1915-05-14
neutral and it might be.

Mcfarland it might be-
# neutrality must consist in handing pistol to
neghbors and admonishing them that in they
proper to blow out each others brains will
responsibility them indeed, neutral, for
this is exactly what we are doing
Unfortunately however unfortunate for our neu-
traity-we permitted to supply but neighbor
with his gun and cartridges. And it is argued that to
deny this neighbor his gund- gun-would be
trail.
Again. it is ugred that to prohibit traffic in these
hellsh instruments would be setting precedent that
might later rise up to haunt and embarrass Argument
is advanced that in the event this nation should be-
involved in with first class power, it would
be necessary that we buy from abroad Fear is ex-
pressed that should close markets to the beig
eren allies similar order might bar from the pur
chase OF explosives and guns in our phantom emergency
And still again it is urged that commercial calamity
would face this nation should the of such in
tercourse be contaminated.
If it is wrong to supply neghbors with their in
st1uments of murder, the idea of commercial calamity
should not be permitted to enter into the speculation
for we are big enough and resourcefu enough to
dure such deprvatons would fall to our share until
the war shall have ended.
And we say-just as England and Germany and
France and Turkey and Russia and Serva and Austria
have said-to hell with precedent!
We ought to be prepared at all times to defend our
selves if is necessary for the government to
gage in the manufacture of guns and munitions, battle
ships, etc. In fact, these things should only be made
under governmental supervision To say that the Win
chester Repeating Arms Company, the Colts Patent
Firearms Company the Remington people, the Union
and all the others who are today growing rich re-
suit Of the European carnage should not be molested
because they have large capital invested parallels in
point of argument the insstence advanced by brewers
and grogshop keepers that prohibition laws should not
be enacted because they operate to the financial embar
rassment of saloonists.
that the liquor traffic interfering with her
against Germany parliament stood ready to abolish the
liquor traffic.
Precedent was not considered.
Property rights would have been thrown to the four
winds had members of this legislative body been
vnced that prohibition imperative to the conduct of
What England and France and Russia and the other
fighting powers might think of the United States should
these nations be deprived of their right to purchase
der in this country is not worthy Of consideration 1t
merely matter of righ-our right to supply the snews
of war to neighbOrs across the waters
If it is wrong in Paragould, in Memphis and in Lit
tie Rock for citizens of the states of Arkansas and Ten
to place pistols in the hands of cOntendng nd
vduas, it is wrong for the people to ship powder
and lead to Europe where the ends to be served
Merely because the cOnSlgneeS unknown personally
to us; merely because they foreigners and their
stence influences existence but vaguely matters not
They are human beings just as we are made in the i'm
age of the Creator And, nation, failing to
do our whole duty when we sit with folded hands and
depore the savagey of European culture merely because
these people know how effectively the instruments
place in their hands.
The greatest living man today is Woodrow Wilson,
president OF the United States of America And down in
his heart Woodrow Wilson believes that it is wrong for
this nation to supply the snews of Europe Placed
in the position he u.s. surrounded by all the pitfalls of in
ternatonal law into which he may at any instant fall
he has far been unable to do than think Yet we
venture the assertion that within three months President
Wilson will speak plainly his sentiments and that he
will condemn in plain language the crime we are commit
ting No official since the dawn of creation has been
confronted with greater delicate problems than
is President Wilson That he discharges his duty as
great and good man is all that need be said
In his judgment the American people have unbound
ed confidence.
That he will direct safely and honorably through