Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-16
AUSTRIA INFORMED THAT couN.
TRY CAN NOT STOP SALES
TO eELLIGERENrs.
POLICY BECOMES ONE
OF SELF PROTECTION
Embargo on Arms Would Compel Ev-
cry Nation to Become Armed Camp,
Official Note DeeIares-UnitedS States
Depends on Other Countries When
Involved in War.

partment Sunday night made public
the reply Of the United States to the
Austrian note which protested against
the sale of war munitions by this
country to the allies. The note fatty
rejects the Austrian views, which were
consonance with the definition Of neu-
! trality."
The note is a lengthy one and is
regarded as the setting forth the Of
fetal attitude of this government in
connection with the sale Of munitions
to the allies. 1t is to be considered,
in effect. a reply also to criticisms at
home OF the administration for per-
hitting the uninterrupted trade In
| munitions between American manu-
facturers and the allies.
The note follows in part:
The government of the United
States has given careful consideration
to the statement of the imperial gov
eminent in regard to the expectation
of arms and ammunition to countries
at war with Austria Hungary and Ger
many. The United States is surprised
to find the imperial government i'm
plying that this government should go
beyond the long recognized rules gov
erning such traffic by neutrals and
adopt measures to maintain an atti-
tude of strict parity with respect to
both belltgerent parties
Can Not Accede to Demand.
To this assertion of an obligation
to change or modify the rules of In
ternational usage on account Of spe-
cial conditions. the United States can
not accede, The recognition of an obli-
cation of this sort, unknown to inter-
national practice, would impose upon
every neutral nation a duty to sit in
judgment on the progress Of war and
TO restrict its commercial intercourse
with a belHgerent whose naval sue
cesses prevented the neutral from
Of the imperial government appears to
be that the ADVANTAGES gained to a
belligerent by its superiority on the sea
should be equalized by the neutral
powers by the establishment OF sys-
tenn Of non-intercourse with the victor.
But, II this principle should be adj
mitted to obtain by reason OF the SUI
periority of belligerent at sea, ought
it not to operate equally as to a
belligerent superior on land? Apply
ing this theory, belligerent who lacks
the necessary munitions to contend
successfully on land ought to be per-
mitted to purchase them from neutrals
while belligerent with an abundance
of war stores or with power to produce
them should be debarred from such
traffic
Would Seriously Involve Neutral.
"Manifestly this idea of strict neu-
trality would involve neutral nation
in mass Of perpleXities which would
obscure the whole field of interna-
tional obligation, produce economic
confusion and deprive all commerce
and industry of legitimate fields of en-
terprise.
"In this connection 1t is pertinent to
direct attention to the fact that Aus
tria- Hungary and Germany have dur
ing the years preceding the present
European war produced a great sur
plus Of arms and ammunition, which
they sold thruout the world and espe-
cially to belligerents. Never during
that period did either Of them suggest
or apply that principle now advocated
by the imperial government
During the Boer war between
GreaL Britain anu Lie koOutiA iSoh
republics the patrol of coasts Of neigh
boring neutral countries by British
naval vessels prevented arms and am
munition reaching the Transvaal o:
the Orange Free State. The allied re-
publics were in situation almost
identical in that respect with that in
which Austria Hungary and Germany
find themselves at the present time.
Yet, in spite of the commercial isola'
ton % one belligerent. Germany sold
to Great Britain, another belligerent,
hundreds of thousands of kilos OF ex-
plosives, gunpowder, cartridges, shot
and weapons; and 1t is known that
Austria Hungary also sold similar
munitions to the same purchasers. II
at that time Austria Hungary and her
present ally had refused to sell muni-
lions to Great Britain on the ground
that so to do would be to violate the
spirit Of strict neutrality, the imperial
government might with greater con-
sistency and greater force urge Its
present contention.
Markets Open TO All.
I'm view Of the foregoing state
ments this government is reluctant
to believe the imperial government
will ascribe to the United States
lack of impartial neutrality In con-
tinuing its legitimate trade IN all
kinds OF supplies used to render the
armed forces of q beiiigerent enic1ent,
aItf,o the circumstances of the present
war prevent Austria Hungary from
obtaining such. supplies from the
United States markets which nave
been and remain, so far as the action
and policy OF this government are con-
cerned, open to all belligerents alike. !.
"But, in addition to the question OF
principles. there is practical and
substantial reason why the United
states has advocated and practiced
unrestricted trade in military supplies.
lit has never been the policy OF this
country to maintain IN time OF peace
large military establishment or stores
~ arms sufficient to repel invasion by
a wen equipped and powerful enemy.
In consequences of this standing pol