Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-25
AMERICA ISSUES
DEFENSE OF ITS
POSITION IN WAR
United States Government, in a
Lengthy Statement, Seeks to
Justify It's Interpretation
Of Neutral's Duties.
POSITION IN MUNITIONS ROW
Request Of Canadian Government to
Ship Fighting Equipment
Across Alaska Refused.
MANY THINGS COME TO LIGHT

WASHINGTON. Jan. 24--The United
states government issued today lengthy
defense OF It's Interpretation OF the rights
and duties OF a neutral In the European
war.
"A document 5000 words long. prepared
by President Wilson. Secretary Bryan
and Councillor Robert Lansing OF the
state department after several days OF
consultation. was made public in the
form of letter from the secretary OF
state to Senator stone Of Missouri. chair
man OF the senate committee on foreign
relations.
While the letter Is reply to an in
quiry from Senator Stone for Information
as q result of complaints made in the
press and in letters from various parts
of the country charging the Washington
government with unfairness to Germany
and Austria. it also Is intended as a
pronouncement OF policy on some ques-
fions Of neutrality previously unexplained.
Answers Nineteen Charges.
After answering nineteen separate and
specific charges and calling attention to
the fact that the United States has
promptly taken to task Great Britain, as
well as Germany and every government
which in any way has infringed upon the.
rights OF this country, the letter con-
cludes with the following declaration on
the much-discussed question OF exporta-
tion of war munitions:
IF any American citizens, partisans Of
Germany and Austria-Hungary feel that
this administration is acting in a way
Injurious to the cause Of those countries
this feeling results from the fact that on.
the high seas the German and Austro-
Hungarian naval power Is thus far in-
ferior to the British II is the business
Of belligerent operating on the high
seas, not the duty Of neutral, TO pre-
enemy.
Obligations Don't Exist.
Those in this country who sympathtze
with Germany and Austria Hungary ap-
pear to assume that some obligation rests
upon this government. in the performance
Of its neutral duty. to prevent all trade
in contraband and thus to equalize the
difference due to the relative naval
strength .pf the belligerents. No such
obligation NekiEts; ii would be an un-
neutral act. an act of paftiality on the
part of this government. to adopt such .
policy. IL the executive had the power
TO do so.
IF Germany and Austria-ITungary
cannot import contraband from this
country, it Is not, because Of this fact,
the duty Of the UnItei States to close
it's markets to the allies. The markets
of this country are open upon equal
terms to all the world. to every nation,
helligerent or neutral"
Factn Revealed.
During the course of the letters, dis
oussion OF the various charges made
the following facts hitherto undiscussed
were revealed for the first time;
That the Canadian government re-
Gently asked the United States for per-
mission to ship war equipment across
Alaska to the sea and the request was
That the United States has sent vigor-
i, Gus protest 10 France, because some
German passengers ON an American ship
plying between two ports in Colombia
were forced BY q boarding crew from 9
French cruiser 70 sign promise not e
was declared in the American note tc
be Fan unwarranted exercise OF jurisdic-
tion over American vessels In which this
government will not acquiesce.
That sharp representations also were
made to another of the allied govern
nents, because search was conducted or
the h1En seas on an american snip LOl
German and Austrian passengers. The
name of the vessel or offending govern
ment was not revealed
That on December -. last, the German
ambassador by direction Of his govern
ment delivered q memorandum TO ths
United States government. stating tha
.ender the general principles OF Inter
rational law, no exception can pe taker
to neutral states letting war material 81
TO Germanys enemies from or through
neutral territory,
That representations we're made boil
TO Japan and Great Britain against hi
continued presence Of their warships OF
American ports and that the protests
were In each case needed.
That since the announcement Of thu
Washington governments disRpproval o
war loans, none has been made by for
eign governments In this country. A dis
tinction Is drawn officially for the frs
time between loans noated by populai
subscription and largo credit transaction
for the purchase of war supplies, tn
state department revealing that it hai
no objection to the latter.
No DISCRIMINATION.
In q general way the letter sets fortl
that rules OF neutrality have been pro