Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-04-30
NO ARMS EMBARGO
PRESIDENT WILSON REPLIES TO
AMBASSADOR Won BERN
SToRFF'S NOTE.
FIRM STAND ON POLICY
Executive Denies Charge of One-Sided
Neutrality in Calm and Dicnified
Document-Wants to Continue
Friendly Relations With Germany.

Washington, April 23.-The United
States will not apply an embargo on
arms or change It's neutrality laws
during the progress of the a
This is the answer of President Will
son to the memorandum submitted by
Count @ Bernstorff, the German am
bassador, impugning the good faith OF
the United States IN the enforcement
of its neutrality.
The note, which was drafted by
Counselor Lansing and amended by the
president, is a calm and dlgnlhed re-
pudiation OF the charge made by the
ambassador. 1t REJECTS the ambassa-
DORIS proposals to establish an en-
barge on arms and to use this coun-
try's export trade as a means to com
pei England to permit foodstufs to
reach Germany.
1t proclalms the policy of the United
States to be as it has been, the up
holding of its rights as against any and
all belligerents and the enforcement OF
the laws of neutrality which were in
force at the time the war began.
Moreover, the president asserts that
any change of the principle involved
such as the German ambassador sug
gested, would be a direct violation OF
American neutrality.
The communication is courteous ana
polite. The president shows his view
that it would have been more il Keep
ing with the preprieties had the am
bassador mentioned several matters
connected with the general subject of
American neutrality, which he failed
to mention; and that the ambassador
stepped beyond the bounds when he
sought to take up with the United
States questions this government is
discussing with Great Britain.
Here are the salient points of the
presidents reply:
l. The relations of two governments
with each otter cannot wisely be
made a sun5ec. CT discussion with a
third gor errraer4, which cannot be
fully in2or<c9I as to the facts and
which canEot De fully cognizant of
the reasons for the course pursued.
2. The language employed by the
ambassador in his memorandum is
susceptible of being construed as i'm
pugning the good faith of the United
States in the performance of its duties
as a neutral.
3. The president takes it for granted
that no such implication was in
tended, but regards it as evident that
tho omhoCcodnr ic ahorin1 un6ar oor
tain false impressions.
4. This government has at no time
and in no manner yielded any one
of its rights as a neutral to any of the
present b~elligerents.
5. 1t has insisted upon the use OF
visit and search as an absolutely
necessary safeguard against mistaking
neutral vessels for enemy vessels and
against installing legal cargoes for il
legal.
6. Beyond the right to visit and
search and that of blockade, the
United States has conceded nothing.
T.. Our diplomatic correspondence
has shown our steadfast refusal to
acknowledge the right of any belliger
ent to alter the accepted rules of wal
at sea, in SO far as they affect the
rights and interests of neutrals.
s. The United States holds that any
change in it's own laws of neutral
ity during the progress Of a war
which would affect unequally the re
lations of the United States with thu
nations at war, would be an unjusti
fable departure from the principle O
strict neutrality by which it has con
~sistently sought to direct its actions
9. None of the circumstances ad
vanced by the ambassador in hi
memorandum alters the principle in
volved
10. Imposition of IN embargo on tn
trade in arms at the present tim
would be a direct violation of the neu
trality of the United States.
II. 1t is out Of the question for tn,
American government to conside
such a course.
IL. The neutrality of the Unite
States is founded upon the firm basi
of conscience and good will