Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-04-28
WILSON REBUKES
kA|SER'S ENVOY
U. S. Has Not Yielded Any of Its
Rights as a Neutral.
REPLY is KINDLY WORDED
Won Bernstorff Told That Embaroo
on Arms Would Be Direct
Violation of the Neutrality
of America.

states will not apply an embargo on
arms or change its neutrality laws
during the progress of the war.
inns is the answer of President Will
son TO the memorandum submitted by
Count Won 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 dignified 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 means to COM
pei England to permit foodstuffs to
reach Germany.
1t proclaims the policy of the United
States to be, as it has been, the up
holding of its rights as against any and
all belllgerents 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 direct violation of
American neutrality.
The communication is courteous and
polite. The president shows his view
that it would have been more in keep
ing with the proprieties 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:
1. The relations of two governments
with each other cannot wisely be
made subject of discussion with
third government, which cannot be
fully informed as to the facts and
which cannot be fully cognizant OF
the reasons for the course pursued.
g 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 it's duties
as neutral.
3. The president takes it for granted
that no such implication was in
tended, but regards it as evident that
the ambassador is laboring under GER
tain false impressions.
4. This government has at no time
and in no manner yielded any one
of it's rights as a neutral to any of the
present belligerents.
5. 1t has insisted upon the use OF
visit and search as an absolutely
necessary safeguard against mistaking
neutral vessels for enemy vessels ana
against mistaking legal cargoes for IL
legal
6. Beyond the right to visit and
search and that of blockade, the
United States has conceded nabhing.
T. Our diplomatic correspondence
has shown our steadfast refusal to
acknowledge the right of any belllger-
emf to alter the accepted rules of war
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 neutrality
during the progress of war, which
would affect unequally the relations
of the United States with the nations
at war, would be an unjustit1able de-
parture from the principle OF strlct
neutrality.
9. None of the circumstances au-
yanced by the ambassador IN MS
memorandum alters the principle IN
volved.
10. imposition of an embargo on the
trade in arms at the present time
would be a direct violation OF the neu-
trality of the United States.
/. 1t is out of the question for the
American government to consider
such a course.
IL. The neutrality of the. United
States is founded upon the firm basis
of conscience and good will.