The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-06-29
CAN NOT lEGALLy.STOP, !,
SALEMUN|T|ONSOF WAR
Considered Unneutral to Stop
Expectation of Arms.
PRESIDENT HAS NO POWER
The Views on the Subject as Ex-
pressed by State Department
OffiCials

ouC1aIS.
Washington Special to Charlotte
Observer, June 27.-President Will
son is besought by all sorts of peo-
pie who would get their products to
foreign countries or various sorts of
supplies from abroad. A great horde
of people would stop the shipment
of arms ond munitions Of war. The
President is trying to be neutral. 1t
would be considered unneutral to
stop the expectation of arms.
German sympathizers and a small
band of peace-by-any-route- advo-
Gates would interfere with the sale
to Great Britain and her allies of
arms, horses, mules, uniforms and
other munitions of war. The peace
people claim that the sale Of such
things will prolong the war.
There is no power in the Execu-
tive to prevent the sale of ammuni-
ton to the belligerents," is the posi-
ton of the state department on this
subject.
trade in munitions of war has never
been imposed by international law or
by municipal statute. 1t has never
been the policy of this government
to prevent the shipment of arms or
ammunition into belligerent territory
except in the case of neighboring
American republics, and then only
when civil strife prevailed. Even to
this extent the belligerents in the
present conflict when they are neu-
ords disclose. limited the sales of
munitions of war. 1t is only neces-
sary to point to the enormous guam.
titles of arms and munitions furnish
ed by manufacturers in Germany to
the belligerents in the Russo-Japan-
ese war and in the recent Balkan
wars to establish the general recog-
milton of the propriety of the trade
by neutral nation"
The German ambassador, speaking
for his government, notified the state
department, last December, that "un-
der the general principles of interna-
tional law, no exception can be taken
to neutral states letting war material
go to Germany's enemies from or
through neutral territory"
The United States has lent it's in
fiueDce toward equal treatment for
all belligerents in the matter of pur-
q q yts
private persons in the United States.
There can be no just complaint
against the course of the President
on this score.
1t is estimated that about S14,-
900, 900 in arms and ammunition
have been shipped to the allies. Great
Britain so dominates the seas that
the Germans and Austrians cannot
get anything from this country to
their ports.
The following statement was print
ed in the reports of the department
or commerce today, showing to what
extent the allies have relied on
American horses and mules:
E-uiopSdH war mas
phenomenal demand upon the United
States for animals, and when the war
is ended this demand will be contin-
ued as horses and mules will be need
ed for agricultural purposes through
out Europe.
THE annual shipment abroad of
horses for severa, years past has
been $4,000, average value SLAP,
and the shipment of mules has been
5000, valued at $3.50 each.
During the ten months of the war
the expectation of horses has reach
ed 215, 1853, valued at s47.7SS,s4s, or
about 1920 each, and q o .22gsfdtIes,
valued at $7,783,O14, or more than
$50 head"