Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-06-18
The following letter written by John
Sharp Williams is self-explanatorv

Inc following letter WrtCCen Oy Jonu
Sharp Williams is self-explanatorv:
Benton, Miss. June IL. 1915.
The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus.
Mississippi:
Gentlemen:-Som friend has sent me
the following clipping from your paper,
Gated May 10th:
"John Sharp Williams is the first
man to attempt to turn the dreadful
Lusitania catastrophe into political ad-
vantage. and for himself. Mr.. Williams
is reported as saving that II the ship
purchase bill had passed. the Lusitania
would have heen under the American
flag and the incident wonld have been
impossible The Lusitania occupied the
same position towards America that
the Vaterland and all the other interned
German ships in this country occupy.
She was the propertv OF bell,gerent
nation. When the purchase OF these
interned German merchantmen was
considered in the ship purchase bill.
England rnd France informed this
country that the transfer OF the flag.
after hostilities had begun, would he
palpable violation of the London declar-
alton and therefore the sale could not
he recopnized. GERMANY would have
followed this course with reference to
the Lusitania. no doubt, and II the
ship bill had become law. instead OF
the Lusitania incident being impossio'e;;
it would have, no doubt, precipitated
war with Germany"
There are two slight errors in it. In
the first place. I never said that "the
Lusitana would have been under the
American flag" nor do see how any
body corld have drawn that inference
from what I did say. I said that there
would have been ships under the
American flag for American citizens TO
travel in.
The next thing is that you say that
"England and France gave notice TO
the United States concerning interned
vessels" etc. You must be good
deal better informed than am, though
/ was pretty close to Washington at
that time, If that statement is true.
In my opinion, as l said upon the
floor Of the Senate, Great Britain
would have been very glad. indeed, II
ssg lad boughs up ths Germa.l int termed
ships, because, next to her hope OF
destroying the German feet, is her
hope of totally destroying the Ger
man merchant; marines. That mer-
chant marine would 60 out from un-
der the German flag as effectually py
sale to us as being DESTROYED.
The principal international law AZ
stake is that when you purchase tne
merchant ships of belligerents. it must
be bona fde transaction, with posi-
tive agreement not to res ell or recon-
vey.
Ihaye no objection to any political
opponent of mine saying anything that
he thinks is right and fair to oppose
me or to help anybody else. The short
article to which l refer, however, is
not only a Misrepresentation OF my
position, but is a Misrepresentation OF
the administration under which your
editor is now serving,
From the Presidents own language
the administration had no idea OF
"buying a war;" and never would huve
bought an interned ship, if the opposite
belligerent had objected. That was
understood by everybody who under
stood anything about it. Many people
believed with me and with the Presi-
dent that there would be no trouble on
that score and that all diplomatic diff
culties could be Strengthened out. Of
course, we would have bought very
few British ships, for the simple rea-
son that Great Britain was controlling
the commercial passages of the sea- il
not entirely, at least. for the most
part, and to the extent Necessary to
maintain her great commerce.
At this moment not only are oul
American citizens forced to take pass
age in the ships of belligerents the
ships of neutral powers rot being suffi'
cient in number, but all of our pro.
ducts must go in the same way, sub
iecr to such dangers as are incident
thereto. and at this moment. as any
onc who reads the daily papers may
discover. there is great difficulty IT
securing tonnage, even for wheat and
foodstuffs, still greater difficulty con-
cerning manufactured goods and cot
ron going to Europe. However, wner
tonnage is obtained, owing to the mgr
muritime insurance upon vessels De-
longing to subjects or citizens OF Del
ligerent countries, the freight rate II
exorbitantly high.
7 notice that one distinguished gen
tleman-not distinguished, however, fol
his knowledge either of the principles
of economies Or of international law
has said that "the consumer pays tn'
freight" and, therefore, the high rate
of freight ''does not affect our pro
ducers." It is, of course, true fhaa' fhaa'
the consumer paye the freight, pEt /
Is soually trus, a. sry} fsrther's las
IL ,svs toN tbs distinguished ststea