The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-13
PRESIDENT AND
 LANSING FACING GIGANTIC TASKS
Many Problems of State Con- front Two Officials, All
 at Same Time

resting on the shoulders of President Wilson and his Secretary of State, | Robert Lansing. Few persons realize the strain of the burden they carry. The load, if anything, is growing heavier, and the sense of responsibility 1 greater. 4 /,
 Four rnomentous foreign questions are now pending in the State Depart |
 ment, to say nothing of many other matters of minor importance which, in times of peace, would be of large consequence. These are:
 The question with Great Britain in volving neutral rights in commerce.
 The question with Germany invo1v- 1 ing neutral rights on the high seas relative to both life and property.
 The Mexican question.
 The Haytian question. l
 Three of these have involved the lives of American citizens. The Brit ish question alone stands out on a purely legal basis. The fundamental difference between the British ques- tion and the others now pending lies of human life is not arbitrab1e, while the destruction of property is. Without Resort to Arms. In Washington no one doubts that President Wilson and Secretary Lans- ing have set for themselves the task | of working out these immense prob 1ems, if possible, in 8 manner com porting with the honor and dignity of the naton, but without resort to 1 arms. This policy has been pursueda a in Mexico. save for the Vera Cruz in- cident, ever since the present admin 1 istration came into being, and 1t has had the general support of the coun-| 1 try. It is recognized here that the
 same sentiment prevails in the coun-5 1 try with respect to the other import ant problems now pending.
 z At present the German question Is
 quiescent only because Germany has made it so by refraining from torpedo- l ing unarmed merchant ships without
 warning and by conforming in ptinci- pie to the demands of the United l States that submarine warfare be 1 brought within the pale Of interna- 1 tioIaI law, or abandoned. Whether
 this question will become alive again, 1 and very much alive, rests in the. l hands of the German government. The latest note of President Wilson placed 1t there Aunequivocally. There
 is no disposition to rush head1onE into. a crisis. Only after the most Search 1 ing examination ofsthe facts will Pres l ident Wilson and MT. Lansing permit themselves to be committed to any policy other than the one they are l now pursuing on all of these questions.
 The actual potentiality of the issues
 with Germany, however, cannot be
 the problem. The Issue With England.
 The question at issue with Great Britain practically imposes on this government the duty of stating the position this government will assume l in future, if it should be bellfgerent and in control of the seas. The answer to the British note on the British or ders in council and the blockade of German, is not of neutral ports, must also outline in full the position which this government believes every neu-
 
 in protecting it's rights on the high seas. It is tremendous problem, especially in view of the fact that Jthe conditions of war at sea have mater 1 ial1y changed since the latest author | itieS on international law were com 1 piled. As the sole representative of the neutrals capable of making good any reasonable demands it may have to make the burden imposed on this l government in settling the pending is- sue with England is immense. The fact that Germany and England do not l hold the same views on the questi ons l at issue, to which the United States I has, been forced to become a, party be- | cause of theFinvasion of neutral rights involved, makes the position of this 1 government even more important It I is recognized here that in taking its Fl position on the issues the United Il States must outline it's position with T out regard to either belligerent, and IL pc prepared LOi say that if this country was at war it would claim more and no less rights than
 it is now willing to accord to the pres
 ent be1Hgerents, on the one hand, and Ito receive as neutral on the other \ The Mexican Problem.
 II The Mexican question isAdue for a
 settlement How it will be made,
 short Of intervention, has not vet II been decided. new policy in dealing H with Latin-American states at civil
 war has been inaugurated by calling
 in the ranking diplomats of both Gen.
 tral and South American states to counsel on the action to be taken by
 this government in restoring peace in
 Mexico. At present General Carranza,
 is apparently preparing to defy the
 conclusion reached by the conference H Nevertheless, it is hoped that the com Fl bined pressure which will be exerted on Mexico by all the American repub- lies will have its effect. If it does not
 some other steps of a. more drastic
 nature remain, and so far as known, no others.
 The expedient of taking counsel with the sister republics to the south
 of the United States involved, in itself. decisions of a momentous character
 It is the first time they have ever been | consulted as to the policy of this gov ernment in such matters. Upon the success of the undertaking depends in \ large measure the future relations of this government with them. Conse- quent1y the conduct of the present conference has, in itself, been an inn mense burden on the shoulders of Mr. Lansing. It is betraying no secret to say that if Congress had had the fore sight to make a requisite appfopria- ton for the entertainment of the necessary. officials at Panama. it is highly probable President wilson would have an opportunity to confer personally, months ago, with every minister of foreign affairs in General and South America, and that the pol icy of this government toward their governpe ents would have been so thor ar.stcod .,..a.....s