The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-11
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forbids a neutral government to lend
any aid to a belliserent. and requires it
to take due care that no belligerent
shall carry on any warlike operation
within its jurisdict'
The United States is bound to exercise
proper diligence to prevent a military
body. however small, from entering
leaving the country. Canadian recruits
may freely pass through Maine to St.
/ John or over American soil to sail from
American ports; but they may not carry
arms or conduct themselves as mill
tary organization. Americans may en-
list in any of the armies they choose:
but they must not enlist in their own
country. American manufacturers may
fill almost any orders they can get from
beliigerent powers: but the government
is required to see that no war vessel is
| delivered TO belliserent.
Why? Solely because a vessel neces-
sarily becomes at once and in itself a
complete unit of a wsrlike character.
fitted out and named within the SOW
ereignty of the United States.
Beyond these few prohibitions. a neu-
trail State, as The Hague declaration of
1907 says, lis not bound to prohibit th.
expectation or transit. for the account
of either belligerent. of arms munitions
of war and in general of anything which
may be useful for an army or a fleet
Technically. therefore. the sale of
arms and munitions is lawful under that
statute of the nations. 1t has the sane
ton of both law and custom. Neutrals
always have sold war supplies. With
the imnartiality of trade. Germany her
self. while sympathizing with the Beers.
sold to England guns that aided i'm the
destruction of the South African
publics
should the Sale BE stopped.
Technically, on the other hand. tho
United States is left free to forbid the
expectation of arms and ammunition.
But it would be an unneutral act to
adopt such policy after the beginning
of war. 1t is too late then to change
the rules of the game
In the present instance the prohibit
ton OF this trade would have a most I'M
neutral effect it would be wholly to
the disadvantage of one side. The triple
alliance is virtually cut off from it. If
it were stopped. therefore. it would in
jure only the entente. and would take
from those powers one of the gres test
benefits they are now deriving from
their control of the sea.
The sale of the arms and ammunition
then. is in accord with usage and with
the law and the spirit of neutrality.
But Is it right?
The practice seems to he I'm harmony
with the American idea of fair play
The Constitution of the United States
guarantees the citizens the right to arm,
themselves against the government it.
self The right of the people to keep
and bear arms shall not he infringed,''
so runs the command Of that great
charter.
Now. il well might he a serious in
fringement of the right of a nation to
defend Itself when assailed by an enc
my. il all the neutral world should re-
fuse TO sell II arms and ammunition,
IL that should become the rule an i'm
mense premium would he placed on mill,
tary preparedness and a heavy handicap
on the countries unprepared for war.
Unarmed pacific nations would be left
almost wholly at the mercy of the mill
tary powers.
To some 1t may not seem a nice BUSH
ness, this of making and selling muir
derous implements. But was it any nicer
to sell them before the war than 1t In To
sell them in the midst of the war? The
purpose is Just the same. unless. in
deed. those who are getting American
arms now may plead that they ara buy-
ing them only for self-defense.
beware of the HypheaI
The United States thus far has been
neutral in act IL not In thought AL
though in this age thoughts are among
the moral munitions of war. they are
not contraband by any imperial decree
or order-in-council yet issued
The private citizen Ii not bounu by
the Law of neutrality. but robust. un-
qualified, washingtonian spirit of ma
tionalfy should rule all citizens And
beware of the hyphen, For they who
call themselves pro. no Less than thew
who prefix their nationality they express
ly renounce. when swearing allegiance
to the country of their adoption. hy-
phenate heir Amerieanism.
Uoi, night. lsIj. b, James N.ssau.,