Grand Forks daily herald., 1915-08-18

ING. Chicago; Fifth Avenue Building.
New York.
THE AUSTRIAN NOTE.
The American note to Austria. In
reply to the latter's contention that
the United States ought to prohibit
the snportation Of munitions Of war
to belligerents is an unusually fine sx-
ample Of clear. logical and forceful
argument. The whole Austrian arsu-
nasnt 10 taken up. point by point, and
20 thoroughly depolished that not q
vestlge Of 1t remains.
Secretary Lansing begins by apply
ting tho reductio ad absurdum. He
shows thaa II It 10 the function Of true
neutrality to prohibit the sale Of arms
to one belligsrsnt who can obtain
them by sea, while the other cannot,
It would equally be the duty Of the
neutral to attempt, in . similar man
nsr. to sauahss disparity in land
sersaeth. Attempts Of this kind, as is
pointed out, would involve the entire
world in endless complications Of sv-
cry possible character.
Austria is also reminded Of some
historical facts. namely that both she
and her ally. Germany. have, in nu-
marcus wars. supplied arms to bellis-
srsnts, both countries having sold
freely to Great Britain in the Boer
war. while the Boers were unable to
obtain these supplies for the same
reason that prevents Austria and Ger
many from obtaining them now.
namely. lack Of free access to the seas.
Germany sold munitions to Russia in
the Crfmsan war, and to Turkey In
her war with Italy, while both Aus
tria and Germany sold to all the Balk-
An nations in the late Balkan wars.
Passing from the specific to the
general, Mr.. Lansing lays down with
emphasis what has been the policy Of
the United States from the beginning,
ana the reasons for that policy. He
points out that II this country were
now to pursue the course urged by
Austria. she would, BY that act, be
debarred from making purchases Of
military material II she were engaged
in q war Of her own. and. a. 1t has
never been the policy Of tho United
States to maintain a large standing
army, or to accumulate great supplies
of military material. she would be at
a disadvantage, and possibly fatal
one, If attacked by well-armed and
well-supplied power. This would ap-
ply to all neutral nations. hence, the
only possible security that any nation
could have would be through the Gre
alton of~the largest possible army, and
the accumulation Of the largest pos
sible supply of munitions. The result
of this would be to turn the entire
world into an armed camp.
Still further the secretary pays at
tention to certain statements of fact
made as the basis for the Austrian de-
mands. He disposes Of the statement
that the expectation of arms is pro-
hibited by The Hague conference by
citing a paragraph in which it is
specifically stated that this traffic is
not prohibited, and by reference to
another in which such prohibition is
permitted when such a course is
deemed necessary for the protection
OF the interests of the neutral. The
Austrian government is rather point
ediy reminded that the United States
feals capable of looking after its own
interests without suggestions from
outsiders. The argument that our ex-
portatton OF munitions IL inconsistent
with the supplying Of warships at sea
by means OF merchant ships sailing
from our ports Is shown to be frivo-
lous. The general statement in the
Austrian note that practically all the
authorities on the subject hold the
views entertained by Austria is met
by the statement that an exhaustive
study of the authorities shows that
less than one-fifth of those consulted
hold these views, and not all Of these
without qualification. An eminent
German writer is quoted on the other
side.
There is something both forceful
and significant in the summing UP in
tho last paragraph. which reads:
81 The principles OF international
INV. the practice Of nations. the
national safety OF the United
states and other neutral nations
without great military and naval
establishments, the prevention Of
increased armies and navies, the
adoption OF peaceful methods for
5s the adjustment Of international
differences, and finally, neutrality
itself, are opposed to the prohi-
bition by q neutral nation Of the
sa exportation OF arms, ammunition
81. ofsother munitions OF war to bell
hgerent powers during the prog
r1ss of the war.
That document, 90 ample in its
scope. ana 30 sweeping in its argu-
msnt, was not intended alone for Aus.
stfia There has been great dcal
s0f talk On this hide about prohibiting
the SxpOrtation Of munitions OF war
The pian has been approved by many
Shon1st ana inhoesnt persons who have
fAiIsd 10 - the hols In the sktmmef.
4 ddsa has bssn industr1ously fos.
~ othssS better infofmed. who
~ induce the Unitsd States