The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-29
SENATOR WALSH DELIVERED A
TELLING ARGUMENT IN REPLY
TO SENATOR ROOT.
SHIPS SOLD DURING CIVIL WAR
Senator Walsh Declared That France
Was the Only Nation That Has
Held That Ships Could Not Be
Purchased by Neutral Nation

Washington, Jan. 2S.-Democrats
OF the senate today began returning
the fire of republicans opposing the
government ship purchase BILL
Senator Walsh delivered an elab-
olate argument i'm reply to Senator
Roots recent appeal that the govern
ment be not in hurry of the pur-
chase OF an international quarrel
with every ship through acquisition
oi interned German vessels.
Quoting legal authorities Of all the
great maritime nations. the Montana
senator emphaucally asserted the
right of a neutral government or its
citizens to buy ships from a bellig
erent In time OF war There be
valid the arguments against the
pending bill founded upon considera-
tiou OF domestic policy" he said.
There are no evils attendant upon
it, so far as our foreign relations
are concerned that have thus far
been pointed out, even if the ship
ping board should conclude to test.
by the purchase OF one or more OF
tie beligereut vessels i'm our ports,
the question as to whether the dec.
laration Of London has forever fore
closed from further maintaining oar
historic attitude concerning the
rights of neutrais to purchase the
vessels of nations at war
Citing the case of the ST. Har-
0ampy a steamer purchased from
Russian citizens by Boston mer-
chants during the Crimean war,
which was not molested i'm spite of
warning that French cruisers
would seize her, the senator said,
but suppose she had been captured,
what reason is there to suppose that
such an incident would have in
1olved MS in war with France? II
redress were not obtainable through
diplomatic channels, this govern
meut doubtless would have demand
ed that the controversy be arbi-
trated such undoubtedly will be the
general course that viii be pursued
should the Dacia be captured.
Recent treaties negotiated with
all of the belltgerents require MS as
well as them. to submit the question
/ IN difference to arbitration
Senator Walsh cited the sale of
some 600 American register ships TO
neutral citizens during the civil war
We lost our merchant marine be.
cause when We were at war other
nations at peace with us could buy
them" he said "It is now asserted
by some brilliant feat of diplomacy
we are deprived of the right to buy
their ships when they are at war.
He quoted at length from the
records Of British courts. the British
Iprivy council and admiralty mstruc-
ticns to British naval officers tc
show that Great Britain has already
said that a bona fide transfer OF an
enemy ship to a neutral flag in war
time was recognized From one case
ne quoted the following:
There have been cases of mer.
chant vessels driven into ports out
OF which they could not escape and
there SOLD in which. after much dis
cussion and some hesitation Of opin.
ion, the validity of the purchase has
been sustained
France alone of the great CONNER
cial nations. Senator Walsh said,
had held differently, but the attitude
OF France had been assailed vigor-
cusly by the other powers and her
laws forbidding any transfer OF
enemy ships during war had not
been enforced
Senator Walsh reviewed at length
from an opinion by Attorney General
1Cushing of the United States in 1894
which maintained the right OF neu
trail to purchase a merchant vessel
during war from a citizen OF either
bellgerent and insisted that this had
been the American doctrine for over
a hundred years.
| Similar views had been proclaimed
lhe said. by Secretaries OF State
Cass. Fish and Eyarts. and supported
by the United States supreme court
in deciding adversely to the CLAIM
of the United States in the case o.
the Benito Estanger during the
Spanish-American war
Reviewing the declaration OF Lon
Idon the senator declared its princi