The Washington times., 1915-12-03

ALLIES MAY J
1t has been persistentiy rumored that
the foreign office here and In London
have exchanged very informal views
and reached an understanding that
covers the case and makes reasonably
certain that no cmbarrassments will
cnsue. This story Is very specifically
denied by people who know what the
State Department Is doing. Ncvcrthe-
less. there Is widespread belief that
the peace party will not get very far on
the other side OF the water.
The prediction has been ventured BY
. man who has means OF knowing the
slope OF things. that the peace ship
will be gathered in bv the British pa
trolls somewhere In the region Of the
Orkney Islands. taken into Kirkwell.
and. In due time. released after the
peace advocates have been taken Oft
and put on a boat ready to take them
la OK to the United States
II any agreement has been reached
whereby such a program IL to be car
ried out. the authorities in washington
arc suppressing II with great earnest-
ness. They have been looking into the
lawson the subject with much care.
and their unconCern about the intimate
experiences OF the pacifists has created
the impression that they know pretty
well what will happen. The calm around
the state Department. and among men,
bers of the foreign relations committees
has emphasized the feeling that there
u somewhere a precedent. on which the
United States and Great Britain have
agreed. that provides an avenue for dis
posal OF the peace folks In a way that
Will keep everybody good natured and
turn the whole proceedings into q holi-
dav Joke.
France Could Better Act.
One Interesting and suggestive obser-
vation was made In this connection to-
day 1t was that a French cruiser
ciists. because the United States and
France have. three generations ago.
reached . meeting OF the minds con-
cernins this sort Of mission, that would
enable France to handle the case more
effectively than England could do it.
Instead OF going TO K!rkwall. the peace
host. according to this view. may be
..' 10 a French port, and from
! sent home with the cx-
'.s..t !.a '.. nisbehaving.
'"Haf-. ie = that there is some
- 'G. iprcssion that the
: utf oscn to enforce neu-
=. srg the peacemakers. 1t
happ... .E. ~ two countries, France
and the Un...t tatcs, have pretty ac-
curately agreed about the prOprieties
regarding such expeditions. First.
there was the case of Citizen Genet.
who came here during the Washington
Administration as an emissary of the
French revolutionary government. and
set about stirring up sentiment in ia
II 80 vs,tN NAI
States to intervene In behalf Of France
In the European situation. and made
good deal OF nuisance Of himself with
his efforts to interfere In American poll
tics. The case WAS reasonably parallel
TO the present peace mission. which de-
signs. somehow. to induce the soldiers
VI the warning countries to get out or
the trenches by Christmas. Genet want
cd to induce political action; the Ford
peace expedition wants to induce
strike 10y tho troops. In each case
there was tho clement OF interference
with the affairs of 9 foreign country.
Case of DR.. Logan.
The United States resented the doings
uf Genet. and at length demanded that
Paris recall him. which. after a deal OF
delay. 1t did. Thus France admitted
that 1t had no business sending an
lust a little while later came the case
that put tho boot on the other foot. A
certain DR.. Logan. OF Philadelphia dur
ms the Administration Of President
John Adams. conceived the idea that
the United States was not doing what II
ought to for the cause OF human liberty
In Europe. He got an American pass
port. and. thus armed went to France
in the effort to convince the rcvolu.
tionary government that tho United
states really was in sympathy with
France. and that a proper policy would
bring 1t into active cooperation with
the French
When he came home he called on
President Adams. told him all about the
clared that France was anxious to set.
tie all differences with the United
States. and advised that steps he taken
to get the two Young republics into co,
""neration in behalf of the cause OF
President Adams. who was an expert
cnced diplomat and as cool-hcaded q
person as ever placed goose-duill OF
official parchment. listened to DR.. Lo
Kan. and decided that while he waI
doubtless a perfectly well intcntioneC
gentleman. he ought not to be permittet
to continue in. such activities. So thu
President. instead OF taking the LogaT
advice. got Congress to pass. in 1899, th'
so.called Logan act" which provided
against such cases. II aimed againS
unofficial and seif-constituted missions
from this country trying to interfere
with the affairs of other countries.
Act On Statute Books.
This act has been amended somewha
since it was first passed; but 1t sur
vired the complications OF the civil wa
era, and Is now on the books, sub
stantially as follows:
Every citizen OF the Unitcr States
who without the permission
or authority of he Government
commences or carries on any
verbal or written correspondence or
intercourse with any foreign govern
ment with an intent to in