The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-28
PLAYING WITH FIRE.
How the Administration shipping Bill
Might Involve Us I'm the War.

ministration is that once the American
flag is Choisted by the United States
Government over an American mer-
chant vessel the ship will be immune
from challenge by any belligerent in the
war abroad. This indicates precisely
the point of gravest danger in the
Presidents programme.
II tho Administration is trying to
carry water on both shoulders in its
scheme OF neutrality, II is inviting dis
aster for the United States. The State
Departments letter in answer to Ger
man. american protests may represent.
one phase OF the Administrations neu-
trail conceptions. Tho other is illus
trated by tho ship purchase bill.
For all practical purposes there are
no available vessels which the Govern
ment could acquire by purchase to add
to the free shipping at the present dis
posal Of the worlds commerce except
tho German merchant ships which have
been informed in various ports The
ship bill becomes then an avowed meas
ure for the purchase OF these German
vessels interned by allied control Of
the seas.
No nation will question the good faith
Of the transfer Of their title to the
United States Government, but that will
not meet the objection of Great Brit
ain and France that our purchase and
operation OF German ships will deprive
them Of the fruits OF their belligerent
control Of the seas against Germany.
How can anybody of intelligence sup
pose that Great Britain and France will
fail to challenge the United States Gov
eminent IT, whi.c avowing neutrality
Washington in effect attempts to take
away some OF the advantages which
tho Allies have won in the WARP
Presumably the Wilson Administra-
ton Is relying on the belief that this
country is an Indispensable source 4
supplies OF ammunition. food and other
lpi Nllt sAlllfH WINE lUt
European conflict continues Neverthe-
less, important as this consideration may
be for the Allies, It Is even more inn
poTant that the United States shall
| not he source Of supply for Ger
many II the Allies can prevent il. The
desperate nature OF the war will make
the Allies go to extreme lengths to
keep Germany out Of the American
market.
In these disjolnted times reason and
logic cannot be counted upon TO control
the actions Of men abroad Nor will
| they assuredly he controlling In the
! United States II our country Is sud
denly thrown into state OF tremen-
dous popular excitement. Once let a
! British or French warship detain a
! United States Government merchant
| vessel, either 10 search it for contra
band or To carry II into the jurisdiction
Of a prize court, and all the latent blood
thirstiness of American jingoism will be
rallied in support OF a demand that the
! SffTon; 10 tho american fias Lo avenged.
Moreover, there is at work in the coun-
/ try now an organized propaganda of
German Americanism. 80 called. con-
Quoted under the auspices Of out and
out Germans, which will Instantly
seize any opportunity offered To push
| the United States toward "A plunge into
the abyss of the European war.
Ilvft
with their backs against the wall and
determined to make the most effective
use possible Of their combined sea power
are not going to let their control Of
the seas against Germany he upset by
any novel departures Of the American
Government in the domain of interna-
tional law. Unless the Wilson Admins
tration is prepared to risk a war with
the Allies Washington Is laundering
ahead into the most calamtous difficult
ties. Probably the prevailing senti-
ment OF the American people to-day is
one of sympathy with the Allies hut
there Is no way of calculating the re-
actiuns Of popular passion IN advance
once INC NIg lbl ifhiFSo VI MI llHut
to the flag borne by a United Stltcs
Government ship is raised.
Let It he remembered also that ther,
is Japan anxious to go further IN III,
war than it has already gone and that
Japan is practically free from any mill
tary embarrassments which woult
hamper II in a war with the United
States II "a casus belI between The
United States and Japan's allies wer,
furnished. incidentally the current ol
American relations with Japan in re-
cent years has not conduced to thr
preservation of peace with Japan unde
such circumstances.
Pacific as the Wilson Administration
is, why should 1t be assumed that vii
son would be any more powerful to re
sist the clamor for war than McKlnle,
was to keep Congress from declaru;
war against Spain in 1898? How ndee,
could the Administration check the con
hagration when IT'S own hands started
the fire? The whole shipping bill pro
gramme is a policy Of faulty which
hetrays the inConCciVahle lack of com