Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-05-04
Our Country and Our Policy

"Our country In her intercourse
with foreign nations may she always
be in the right; but our country. right
or wrong stephen Decatur.
The legal right OF the United States
10 permit its citizens TO engage in the
commerce in arms and munitions OF
war with belligerent governments is
clear
Equally clear is the legal right OF
the United States TO check or prohibit
such commerce.
Which right il will exercise is a
question that lies entirely within the
domain of policy
Upon the outbreak Of the present
war our government adopted the pol
icy Of neutrality. and neutrality i'm
plies that the government shall take
no action which will disturb the nor
maj relations between this country
and any belligerent The most i'm
pOrtant OF these relations is that OF
free commerce and strict neutrality
demands that whatever the abnormal
conditions produced by the belliger-
ents themselves. our government shall
not interfere with such commerce as
can be carried on with any or all Of
them. The practical consequences OF
this normal passive policy are created
By the acts OF belligerents and lie
outside our legal responsibility.
Whether We maintain this position
must depend upon considerations moi
OF legality but OF duty and interest
/ u is becoming increasingly evident
I that our exercise Of or even our dipio.
matte nsisience upon our neutral
/ rights is causing resentment beth in
! England and in Germany. In the for
: mer country there is a natural dis
/ position to identify the English caus,
with that of human progress. civiliza
ton, independence freedom. and in
ternatiOnal good faith and Unite,
states is blamed for not acceptins
this identity aud coming actively {,
the defense OF so much that we prize
Even in its more moderate ofticia
form We are made conscious Of IN,
expectation that a moral support o
them should take the form OF permit
ing the allies a free hand even a
our own cost and the disparagement o
our neutral policy toward Germany.
on the other hand. German feelint
assuming Germany 10 be the victim
or British Derfdy and Russian ambi
ton and Identifying the German
cause with all that is good in moderl
civilization. resents the practical as
sisiance 10 the allies which our gov
ernments neutrality and our citizens
commercial interest bring about
The actual result, whatever the lega
theory Of right may be. is that tn
allies are able to obtain in Americ
arms and munitions for the dcstruc
ton Of German lives. and German
feeling has more and more openl
resented this
In short We are begetting the en-
nifty Of both England and Germany.
With this unfortunate fact full,
recognized. IL is for us gravely L
consider our position and our polio,
We arc not ready TO accept III
localized views Of their respective
parts in the war held by the variou
combatants. Without denying III
idealistic element in the cause main
tanned by any Of them. we arc full
aware that self-interest has been an
is a controlling factor in all thei
policies. England is fighting 70
England, and Germany for German,
and Russia for Russia and Franc
for France yes. and Belgium fo
Belgium.
That is human and right and ne,
essaTy.
And Il is human and right and ne,
essary for the United States to wor
for its own interest
This may be an offensive consider