The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-06-09

i"Atu "hhSh we nave u1au9 ITedIl5S
providing investigation of all disputes
or every character and nature.
Those treaties, negotiated under
tnls administration, make war prac-
ttically impossible between this coun-
TRY and those of thirty governments
representing nearly three-fourths uf
al the people Of the world. Among
/ the nations with which we have treat
les are Great Britain, France and Rus
| STA. No matter what disputes may
arise between us and these treaty
nations, we agree that there shall be
no declaration of war and no com
mencement of hostilities until the
matters in dispute have beNl investi-
gated by an international commission
and years time is allowed for in
vestigation and report.
| This plan was offered to all the
nations without any exceptions what
ever and Germany was one of the ma
lions that accepted the plan, being the
twelfth. think to accept. No treaty
was actually entered into with Ger
many, but cannot see that that should
stand in the way when both nations
endorse the proposal. | do not know
whether Germany would accept the
offer but our country should, in my
| Judgment, make the offer. Such al
offer, If accepted, would at once re-
lieve the tension and silence all the
jineoes who are demanding war. Ger
many has always been a friendly ma
ton and great many of our people
are of German ancestry; why should
we not deal with Germany according
to this plan, to which the nation has
pledged it's support?
The second point of difference is
as to the course which should be pur-
sued in regard to Americans travelling
On belligerent ships Or with cargoes
of ammunition. Why should an Amer
lean citizen be permitted to involve
his country in war by travelling on
belligerent ship when he knows that
the ship will pass through a danger
zone? The question is not whether
an American citizen has right, I'M
der international law to travel On
belligerent ship; the question is
whether he ought not, out of consider
alton for his country, if not for his
own safety, to avoid danger when
avoidance is possible. -
1T is very one sided citizen that
compells a government to go to war
over a citizens rights and yet relieve
the citizen of all obligation to consid-
er his nations welfare. | do not
know just how far the government
can legally 60 in actually preventing
Americans from travelling on be4liger-
ent ships, but l believe the govern
ment should go as far as it can and
that in case of doubt it should give
the benefit of doubt to the government.
But even If the government could not
legally prevent citizens from travel
ing on belligerent ships, it could, and
In my Judgment, it should earnestly
advise American citizens not to risk
themselves or the peace OF their coun-
try and have no doubt that these
warnings should be needed President
Taft advised Americans to leave Mex
leo when the instruction broke out
there and the president repeated this
advice. This advice, in my juds-
ment, was eminently wise and ] think
the same course should be follower
in regard to warning Americans to
keen off vessels subject to attack.
81 think that American passenger
ships should be prohibited from car
rying ammunition. The lives of pas
sengers ought not to, be endangered
by cargoes of ammunition. whethe"
that danger comes from possible ex-
plosion from within or from possible
attack from without. Passengers and
ammunition should not travel togetl-
err. The attempt to prevent American
citizens from mourning these r1sks IS
entirely consistent with the ehor.S
which our, government is making &c
prevent attacks from submarines. ITO
use of one remedy does not eXcioue
the use of, the other. The most lS-
miliar illustration is to be found in the
action taken by municipal authorities
during a riot. 1t is the duty of the
mayor to suppress the mob and pre-
vent violence, but he does not heslta.e
to warn citizens to keep on the
streets during the riot. He does not
question their right to use the
streets. but for their own protection
and in the interest of order, he warns
them not to incur the risks hnVolstu
-. .o;no unon the streets when men
are shooting at each other