The Washington times., 1915-07-23
LETTER AS EXAMPLE.

sHS ouuiAOi, I'LL OioCI " SCt pSlASSS
LETTER AS
To what unfortunate conclusions peo-
pie are led by thus innoecntly accept
ing statements that have no basis In
fact. is illustrated by a letter which
comes to The Times from Charles A.
Gehrie. Of East Orange, N. J. Mr.
Gehrie has swallowed. hook. line. and
sinker. a quantity of misinformatior
that could not possibly have been i'm.
posed upon any person with the most
rudimentary knowledge OF American
history. to say nothing of international
law and practice. As result. he
writes the appended letter, which IL
manifestly intended to be a crushing
blow to those who would permit
Americans to sell arms and munitions
to the warning nations. and a complete
establishment OF the German conten
tion that these sales should be stopped
To the Editor: I have been an
interested reader OF your editorials.
Your oft-repeated plea. 1T would
be an unneutral act to place an en-
barge on American arms" Is purely
fuge which will not hold in inter-
national law and precedent. shall
attempt to expose the base Of sand
upon which you stand in this vital
matter. II YOU can answer my
statements OF fact and successfully
refute them I shall donate a liberal
sum to a local charity
challenge you in good faith to
to dare answer me. point by point, in
your editorial column. am will
ing to let your readers pass judg-
ment as to questions Of right and
wrong. Here Is the strength OF my
case. and give II as the most
loyal American student OF history.
Jefferson's Embargo.
/. During the Napoleonic wars
President Thomas Jefferson placed
an embargo on arms with the full
consent and approval OF the Ameri-
can people. The warning nations Of
Europe never objected to this proper
exercise OF American right. 1t was
held to be a neutral act and fair to
all the belligerent nations.
2. In 1870 when the Franco-Prussian
war broke out an embargo was laid
on arrns and ammunition by our
United states: 1t was the act of
President L. S. Grant. and again the
world recognized our perfect neu-
trallty.
B. During the progress Of the
Spanish American war Germany laid
an embargo on arms at the request
Of Mr.. White. American ambassador
at Berlin. The German government
went so far as to stop a Spanish ship
loaded with arms and bound for
were killed or manned by German
shot or shell. Now. Just compare our
stand today with that of Germany.
Can you blame the German people
II thev show resentment and bitter
ness at our conduct? We openly
ment. One good turn does not de-
serve another. Such 10 our stand.
Can we be proud Of our traffic In
arms when we realize that every
life blood Of fellow creatures and the
agony and tears Of bereaved women
and fatherless children?
Is this business which Is sanctioned
by international law justified by the
higher law OF humanity and morals
Does It show a real love Of mankind
to NIKE capital out Of the misfor-
tune of suffering Europe?
Certain Swiss View.
mere Is dT dHS"SI W lhcSc QuSS-
tions as given by a Swiss newspaper.
the St. Gall Tagesblatt. Read what
1t thinks Of our neutrality:
I'm Its note the American Govern
ment states 1T would be unneutrai to
place an embargo on arms, yet
Switzerland has placed an embargo
on all arms and the belligerent ma
tions of Europe have notified our
government that our act was abso-
1,,t al had found the
approval of every warrlng nation.
I'VE, the people Of Switzerland.
find our industry crippled. We might
have made millions on the sale OF
arms and could have done 80 un-
der international law. but we pre-.
ferred to keep our hands clean OF
the blood money.
ITO state, as the American note
does, that 1t ia unneutral to place
an embargo on arms is an insult 10
say the least. as honorable as that
Of the United States. yet we have
not called for peace Sunday
prayers
"Stain on Reputation"
This is an excerpt from semi
official Swiss newspaper. You will
see what neutral Europe thinks Of
our conduct Spain. Sweden. Nor
| way, Denmark. Switzerland. and
| Holland have prohibited the ship
| ment Of arms In this war They
| openly. and by inference, accuse us
Of being mercenary and hypocrit-
ical. Thousands Of loyal Americans
deplore our stand In this matter as
being immoral and inhuman. We
will. II given a chance. put stop
to this traffic. 1t Is stain on our
national reputation and unneutral In
spirit II not In law.
II the seas We're In German con-
troll end we supplied Germany. Aus
tria and Turkey with arms It would
be just as wrong in principle. We
should not be a base for war sup
plies to any or all fighting war
crazed nations.
Feelings of Humanity.
We allow the shipment of arms In
this hideous business of killing. yet
some of US boast of our feelings of 'hu-
manity." Ex-President Taft comes
forward with the claim that we
would iniure ourselves in the event
that our nation Is dragged into a fu-
ture war. II we should now place an
embargo on arms. He speaks of our
danger should foreign nations refuse
| 10 eoll in