davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
War Leaders
Lost Control.

With that meas ure the war leaders
lost control of the House. A bill for q
uniform militia in all tho states was
beaten. a. wac a bill tor Il provisional
i,rmy Of 20"o men. The bill to arm
the militia passed by q narrow ma
iority. The spokesman of the Foreign
Relations Committee warned the House
that England "kncw Congress was
making ready in a good naturcd. des-
ultory way to capture Canada. Know
ing this, II would act, for IT was not
its habit to strike the second blow. II
Congress really intended to take Cam
the preparations with Nigor and dc
Clsion'
However, the appeal was in vain. 4
. loan of sll."",ooh was authorized, and
war taNos provided for. Therh Con-
gross ended its@ preparations for war,
The next act was the declaration itself.
\ hitter fght was preCipitnted over
that, and II was not until tho latter
part of June that Il was finally passed
and signed by President Madison.
Meantime the war loan had failed. lees
that s. OnonnO being taken by popular
Subscription. and only = little more
than S.E,."G by tn" bank
Thus, after A struggle for redress
lasting nearly decade, and during
Every wear ut which there WAS ample
/ evidence tha, settlement could b" OBJ
! tanned only through war, tn" United
states at length determined to resort
to force and with neither army nor
navy. with preparation little better than
| nothing and with divided people.
torn by faction and political strife. We
| stumbled into the war of ISL.
tCopyrieht. 1915 by o. X Da>i.l
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
QUESTION MUCH DISCUSSED NOW.

much all the ses.borne commerce Of
the world.
The @ meEchsnt nsE Of every , belize ns;sn
McMaster, ''disappeared from. the sea.
France and Holland absolutely ceased
to trade under their flags.
That was the heyday of the American
merchant marine. In the course OF u
few months the carrying trade OF En-
rope came very largely into the hands
of American shippers. Our merchant
fleets carried the stars and Stripes into
every port of the world and transported
the produce of the fartheat islands TO
the markets of Europe.
Then both France and ENGLAND struck
at us. Each saw the colonial posses-
sions of the enemy prcsperinz through
neutral American bottoms. and frst
one. then the other and then both aim
ed measures at our supremacy on the
seas.
Thev proclaimed paper blcckades OF
each others ports and ordered that neu-
trail vessels should not trade directly
between colonies and The mother coin-
try.
The American shippers promptly
found way TO get around that restric-
ton bv breaking tho voyage at an
American port, unloading the cargo and
paying the United States duty. then re-
shipping it and making a new voyage
from the neutral port to the destina-
llOn OF Ln6 SOCQS.
Thereupon Great Britain and then
France adopted more stringent meas
| ures. and in effect denied the protec-
ton Of the neutral flag to the geods. II
its final bearing this meant that the
J only goods that could come into the
| United states were those intended fol
| consumption. and the only goods that
could go out we're the products of do.
nestle manufacture or growth.
Great Britain enforced its orders by
! nf naval resqeIa which
stopped. searched. and seized American
| ships. wherever found. and dragged
them before prize courts. where vessel
and cargo were promptly confiscated.
Napoleon having lost much of his
navy, rcsorted to ether, but not less. ef-
+, fective procedure. and seized American
vessels whenever they touched at any
| port In his control.
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
DON'T USE
C0C0ANUT OIL
ON YOUR HAIR
Or Anything That Must
Be Washed Off.

The scalp is not like other skin
on the body that can be thoroughly
cleansed with soap and water. The
scalp contains a hair germ that
must be treated with respect.
All soaps and everything that
foalns contains alkali and alkali
dries up the scalp. Don't use
them. Dandruff comes from too
dry scalp. The most sensible
way to treat your hair is TO
thoroughly brush it once day TO
keep it clean. Then use Speiser's
Scalp Tonic after brushing to give
your scalp that life and health
which produce glossy hair. Speis-
cr's Scalp Tonic corrccts any alb
normal condition Of the scalp, kills
dandruff, and relieves itchy and
irritated skins. But even Speiser's
Scalp Tonic cannot do the best
work against the persistent use Of
soaps, perfumed oils, cocoanut oil,
and patented connections that must
be washed out Of the hair to make
your head prcsentablc in public.
Speiscr's Scalp Tonic is for sale
only at ODonnell's Drug Store al
50 cents and is absolutely guaran.
teed by them IN every respect
-AAvt
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Monroe's Efforts
Failed Completely.

Monroe efforts at London failed
completely. In fact. instead Of anchor
atinr It's Interference with American
trade. Great Britain increased it. Ma
poleon answered with new decree,
more rigorous than ever. and our sea-
borne commerce was threatened with
total destruction
| The great sch"m" OF non-importauon
| of English goods had failed as a means
of defense against British aggression.
We had vented our spite upon our own
face and were the only sufferers. Now
| something else must be done What
! should II be?
! jefferson Was ready. The trouble was
that We had not damaged our own
| Countcnancc sufficiently. We must lop
| off m ear or two, and perhaps a slic"
of cheek as we'll as the nose in order
to bring England to its knees and COM
pei II to beg forgiveness for the dis
tress to which our features had been
subjected. So hc proposed an embargo,
| II our goods, our vessels. and our men
! wcrc to be seized by the rude and
ruthless British the moment they sail.
ed from our harbors, why. let us keep
them At homo and so preserve them
all.
Tho House was debating a, bill tc
fortify tn" ports and harbors when JEFF
| ferson's message proposing an embargo
came. Instantly the fortfication meas.
ure was dropped. tho House went into
secret SESSION and debate on the PreS-
| ident's proposition began.
, In tho midst OF il came a messenger
from tho Senate with bill providing
for an embargo in his hand The Sen
| ate, oven more subSerVjCnt to the Pres
, ident in those days than now, had al
ready acted on the message. For two
days the House debated the Senate bill
In secret and then passed il by vote
| OF nearly two to ono. The next dan
jefferson had signed II and the en-
| barge was in force
While Jefferson and his Cabinet wait
ed to see England humbled by this new
defiance, the merchants and mariner:
of the seacoast cities began to demon
strate q spirit of resistance agains
their own law that they had never dis
played against the outraces OF the Brif
ish Along the Northern border there
| began greater movement to"arc
| Canada than ever was made In war.
These traders did not propose to h'
deprived of their living and their prof
it's by Jefferson's embargo. Despite al
the efforts Of the officials. and In tht
face Of numerous succeeding acts In
creasng tho restrictions and the penal
ties FOR violation. tho trade went mer
rily on. Vessels constantly evaded tho
vigilance of the mort officers and &
steady stream of merchandise wen
over tho northern border.
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Increase In Army
Asked by Committee.

Tho committee proposed that the
ranks Of the regtllsr sriuy be filled up
by immediate recruitment; than an ad-
dltionaI force of 10000 regulars be raised
10 serve three yenrs; that the President
be authorized to accept the services of
81, 900 volunteers; that the President be
authorized to orde. out such dctarh-
nlents Of militia as the public interests
required that all ships of the navy ut
for service be put into coinnlissiou at
once, and that merchantmen he permit
ted to arm.
The debate on these resolutions de
vc1opcd an ignorance OF the true con
dition of the nations war powers both
astonishing and appealing. with one &C.
that wo could not hope TO contend with
England at sea. But with equal unan-
unity they declared that we could easily
defeat the British on land.
| lands navy" the spokesman for the
| Committee on Foreign g"iations said
| she is mistress of the sea.
| we can take from her Canada ana
1 the rich province to the eastward Ii,
dded.
| ''To contend with the navy of Great
| Britain Is impossibe,' said another.
The new army Is to take tho Con
adas.'' was the reason for its creation.
Yet 1t was this despised and bclittlec
|
ard tho Wanted army. With rare excep
,ions. encountered only defeat and dis
grace.
| The six resolutions were all adopted
and, following the procedure of the day
| bills in accordance with them "er'
ordered prepared But while the bill
were in course of preparation the sen
| ate acted II passed a bill providing 70
5000 regulars to serve for five year
and proposed to divide them into regi
me ntB of 200 men each. and, whethe
the ranks were drilled or not. commits
eion and pay the full complement @
officers. After a sharp fight the Hous
adopted II, and Madison signed II. Thl
vas the army that was to take Canada
The next biz provided for the q, ,OI
volunteers. but II was so Worded th3
II prevented their usc beyond tho bor
der. and such of them as wcrc cnlistc
were Of no service in the cherished al
tempt on Canada.
The naval bill proposed to repair an
ut out all tho warships owed by tn
! nation, I" build ten new friCatcs ,
thirty-eipht guns each. to buy . sto,'
of timber. and to build a drydoCf. B'
fore IT came to vote in the House TN
war enthusiasm had waned decided,
and when il went through II was witt
out the provision for new frigatee an
, he drydOCk
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
jefferson Succeeded
BY Madison.

That wac the eituation when Thomas
Jefferson left the Presidency AID Jane.
! Madison entered upon IT. Tho struggle
| for abatement of the British and French
Interference with our trade had con-
| tinued for more than four years, with
steady. unvaryins disadvantage to the
! United States.
Every move We made increased rather
! than diminished our, discontinue and our
distress. Our diplomatic efforts at Lon
don and Paris had met only with an un-
| interrupted series OF rebuffs. The answer
| OF the British was refusal OF our pFopo-
sitions. The answer Of NAPOLEON was
+ that he had no respect for the rights Of
| those who made no effort TO enforce re-
spect for them by others. When we com
PEELED England to do us Justice he would
! follow suit.
| Every week and every month of this
! continued struggle made more certain
| ly, by fits and starts. Congress reused
itself to the importance of making some
provision for that contingency. aud dur
\ ing the last two years OF Jcffersons ad-
ministration half dozen laws were en-
! acted for that purpose.
one appropriated ss52.ooo for the con.
struction OF 1888 of Jcfferson's favorite
gunboats. Another appropriated $500
for the purchase of arms, saltpeter. and
sulphur. One supplied 100000 for har
bOr fortifcations, and another authorized
| the President to notify the governors ot
! the States to have 100000 militia held in
| readiness to march at a moment > mo-
| tice.'
Another OF these occasional acts Of JET.
ferson's last term increased the regular
| army hv five regiments of infantry. on.
| of riflemcn, one Of light artillery, and
| one of light dragons. Stfll another em.
powered the President to sell arms tc
the States.
The new President soon became sc
hopeful OF the success Of his diplo.
matte efforts for Il settlement with
ENGLAND that he ordered all the gun.
service dragged upon the beach and
notified the governors that the detached
militia need no longer he held in readi'
ness for service.
1t soon developed that his hopes were
not we'll founded. and before long hi
the British minister. Jackson. and hac
refused to have anything further to d.
with him.
Congress applauded the break anc
notified Madison that It was ready tt
call out the whole force Of the natior
forests Of the United States.
Then followed more legislation design
ed to relieve the situation and ena ctec
In the hope that England and Franc
might still be persuaded to withdraw
their disastrous orders and DEGREES.
England or France had withdrawn tn,
objectionable orders the Presiden
should proclaim that fact. and, if
within three months the other powe
did not withdraw its orders. noninter
course should be enforced against it
One section closed the ports Of tn,
! United States to the armed vessels o
France and England
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
TIE WASHINGTON TINES SUNDAY; FEBRUARY 81: 1918

debts under 80.
The Federalists were bitterly opposed
TO var, but In every Republican district
q great cry went up tor resort to arms.
Madisons mcsaacn was sent in the
House 10 committees that were known
to favor war. Henry Clay was Speaker,
and he had selected them with care.
In two weeks the committee on foreign
relations submitted n report that
breathcd war In every line.
TO wrongs SO daring in character
nnu so disgraceful In thoir execution, -
1t said, the people Of the United states
can no longer be indifferent Wo must
ianely submit or boldly resist. The time
has come when the national cbara cter
SO long tradlccd by enemies at houe
ard by encrlics abroad. must be vim
e lraf
The Washington times., 1915-02-21

eral supplementary acts. under the dif-
fcreht provisions of which tho rcsuIa-
tons against. expectation became SO
stringent as to lay "A tremendous ourden
upon purely domestic traffic All sorts
Of permits, licenses. clcaranccs, and
DondSWcfc required, ANA each took time
and often money to procure.
Tho hand Of tho collector or his dep
Uty' wss in every mans business The
trucknien along Long Island sound who
supplied New York city with .srocerie $
spent y large. part Of their time seeking
permits and giving bonds that their
pfoducc would not go out of the coun-
try.
In all the, history Of the United States
thefe never has been such interference
with the business Of its citizens se dur
ing the efforts of Thomas Jefferson to
enforce the embargo. jefferson prac-
ticaIly blockaded the New England
coas; with warships. gunboats. and
revenue cutters, and. in erect. under
took himself to determine what food
stufs should be moved and how and
when and where.
The elimination was reached In the
infamous force act that received JET.
ferson's approval I'm the closing weeks
or his Administration. The act made Il
high misdemeanor to carry or seet
to carry any specie or merchandise Out
OF the United states In any way what
goever. or to load any specie or mer.
chandise, whether of domestic or for.
cign origin, upon any water craft unit
lector. The law authorized tho Presi
dent to hire, arm. and equip thirty yes
sells to enforce its provisions along th'
coast.
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Act Brought
DisuniOn Near.

This act brought the country to the
verge Of rebellion and disunion. The
long struggle had had q bitter effect
upon tho American people, and the
strong feeling OF nationality which had
greeted the institution Of the consti-
tutional government was now seri-
ously impaired. Many influential men
I'm a wide section Of the country talked
openly of dissolution.
Memorials and petitions again flooded
congress-, but now they prayed for the
repeal Of the embargo. It's most rigor-
ous enforcement had failed to shake
England in its disregard OF the rights
OF American commerce, and. whatever
damage and distress It had caused In
Great Britain, II had produced in
finitely more at home. Our ears and
cheeks had gone with the nose, and the
full force of all the spite had been felt
by our own face.
1t was time for something else, and
Iefferson's supporters in Congress came
forward with the new suggestion They
would supplant the embargo with non
intercourse. Foreign trade should be
revived with everybody except France
and England. With them there was
| to be a complete non-intercourse.
Nothing could come from them to any
American port Nothing could so from
any American Nort to any port in con
! troll of either. That was to he the rul'
until England revoked it's hated order.
| in council and France rescndcd It's IN
| famous DEGREES
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Last Act In Efforts
To Obtain Redress,

This was almost the last act In the
long series Of Congressional efforts TO
obtain redress without war First was
the nonimportation act. Then came the
embargo and the force act. Then the
total nonintercourse act. and now the
combineS threat and promise that was
neither ono thing nor the other. For an
other year the President continued his
diplomatic efforts, but all the time the
country was drifting slowly yet surely
into war.
When Congress met on November 4,
1911, the belief was general Throughout
the country that the nation was at la st
to be made ready for war. The people
IN those days had much the same idea
that many of them havc now-that
preparation for war is merely a matter
of littles legislation, aud that once
the men and munitions arc authorized
few DAYS or weeks at most will COM
pletc the preparation.
1t was far nearer the truth then than
now for in those daNs of wooden ships
forty four gun frigate could be built
and sent 10 sea in the time it takes now
TO draw the plans for n battleship.
But men were no more quickly trained
and taught their duty in ISL than in
1915. and under the circumstances then
existing they were much harder to en-
list.
Despite the long series of outra ges
the country was IN no frame OF mind
to give who!e-hearted support to war.
The disastrous embargo had seriously
impaired the national solidarity Tho
people were poor and in distress, and
saw no prospect ot rcliot. Thousands
NJ families had been impoN erished by
the cTlhar.o.
In New York city alone, IN IeUe, more
than $50 men were imprisoned FOR no
other crime thar being ruined ny the
embargo. In Isd9. IL tbs saras dty,
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Tumult Breaks
Out Everywhere.

Then there was tumult. There
were parades and public meetings.
eags at half mast, crepe. hat ard arm
bands, and Hood OF resolutions
srdice and demand ng the building of
Scv cntN-four gun hips. The old cry
of millions for defense but not cent
for tribute WIS derisiVely changed
to TO- millions, for tribute but not cent
After that President jefferson is
suctl proclamation. He ordered the
British siips Leander. Cambrian. and
Driver forthwith to depart from
back. But If they should come back
he coplmandcd the American people
not to furnish then, with food or
water and not to go near one or them.
He commanded their captains per
aorslly by name never to come into
American waters again.
The British wrist must have tlnsled
from that slap.
However, what could he expected from
a. government that made no resistance
TO the impr ressnlent of American citizens
for service In a foreign navy! When the
practice began the Americans did make
y show of holding to the principle that
tae flag covered the man, but after a
| While that was abandoned and the at
| tempt to afford protection was limited
! to seSmen who were American citizens
Cndc>. authority Of Congress the Presi-
| dent appointed. two agents to reside
| abroad and whose business il WAS to in.
| duirc into vases OF iniprcssment. They
were Furnished with registers of AmerS
| can seamcn coE,piied by tho collectors OF
| ports on which to base requests 70,
| the release of such citizens when they
had been seized by M,e British navy.
| Under this act nearly $4,000 scaner
were registered in five years, and the
agent At London alone asked for The
! release Of 1910 Of them Trom impress
! ment,
Meantime the British navA, officer,
were behaving with nnbelievahie impn
dence in American waters They .pfac
tically established blockade OF oul
coast from Maine to the Virginia Capes
They stopped and searched vessels q
will, and Impressed seamen with i'm
punity.
Within a year after Jeffersons ful
m.ration against the Leander Cam
brian, and Driver. the Driver sailed int
Rebellion roads and anchored in from
Of Fort Johnson The commandant Q
the fort sent a message to the governo
askin. what he should do But th
governor was incommunicado. SO tn
com,nandant stationed sentries on tn
~harves to prevent supplies from goin:
Of the ship asking him please to g
away and without shedding any blood.
Tho captain of the Driver bore tn
peaceful name of Love. Now. nc belle,
his name and replied that he woll
/ sail when he was ready. aud incident
ally remarked that he would punish an
insult 10 the British Gag. Also lie sal
that If water We're not Furnished hin
he would take II bv force. SO he got til
letter was forw arded to Washington an
! placed ON Ale.
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Merely Talked of
Going to War.

So it was in the early years OF the
nineteenth century. Injustice was piled
upon injustice by both the French and
the British. but the Americans merely
talked about going TO war and only
a comparatively small number Of them
went that far. Their most vigorous ef-
fort was a modification of the old
Chinese method of g"uins even with
an enemy by committing suicide on
his doorstep.
What part OF our International trade
the British orders in council and the
E3erlin and Milan decrccs of Napoleon
loft to us wo proceeded Ia destroy i'y
embargo and nonintcrcourse acts.
It was only after yeats Of outrage,
hardship, misery. and distress than uH-
der the brilliant leadership of Henry
,",ay the war measures were dr. ycr
through divided and reluctant House
"r Representatives. Even then the or-
position grew SO rapidly as to cripple
or defeat the last OF the series.
The nineteenth century oprn"h under
circumstances of promise for Americans.
We had com" to t." end of our run
ming naval Skirmisn wiki France, that
lituc Il" fa"to hut rot 90 JUrc war which
was confined to a few encounters at
sea.
Our rayv followed is successes III
that curious var that was not war
by It's brilliant achievements against
'he BarhaTV Dlra tcS. and in these Two
experiences, n"ithcr OF suFicient I'M
portancr TO gain NOR" than passing no
nee from tho general historian. lid the
foundation OF lr3i iTsiu!nc winch waE
pat 20 FT"L corsIu"u"gS service IN the
contest wth Gf"a' Britain
Europe Was 'h"r IN y "OrditIou Uroto-
typical 81 'hr' Vb'rh Is ConvulSiny j.
'rcav Ttat ,rp' IA 'Tnpersorrtlou ~
fr'rs end ~ 'rGrr E'.ul as N,D"ir J .
rf Gre~' "as 'H'Dhn" throy%h blood
y! t'r'fs 20 vac rlnra"lo frGn. wh'""
o., 'riJ fr,eN'i al Nsi.rioo. arl Cnirron
.r.F 81 tines So0l' -rd - tiT's al "i
SO rs,ipns sDo'.t NlU IN ,nslr dos
r.rsr s~e"e - S.Ei'''t one aroth'
go stS4e5 asNSs sIs~s a. pretty
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
u. S. Refuses to Profit
~ By Its War Experience
Second Fight With Great Britain Should Have
Taught Nation the Folly Of Unpreparedness,
Writer Declares; Military Not Ready.
BY OSCAR KING DAVIS.

Of of proposed legislation pend
Congress New York periodical said the Other day:
1T said that learn by the experience Of Others fools
only by their What shall Of those who refuse to
learn by their experience?'
The bill which the New York editor considering has nothing
do with problem Of the national defense OF the
United States But his expression had been the crystalzoa o
thought subject he could hardly have
made apt given more precise reason for the
existing military situation OF this country 1t the long continued
refusal of the American people at least profit by their
experience chief if the SOLE Of
war
The Washington times., 1915-02-21
Denies Shipping
Submarine Parts
President Of California Company
Issues Answer to Charge Of
German Embassy.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 2l.-Denial !
that submarine parts arc being shipped
from the Union Works TO Canada
was made here by John MCGrcsor,
president OF the concern. In answer to
the allegations OF the Germany en-
bassy IN Washington. McC;regor said:
I'VE have built no submarine for for
eiSn countries since the war broke out.
we completed two q couple Of months
ago for tho United States. but VIC are
building no parts now