New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-11
THE PURCHASE OF INTERNED SHIPS
Mr.. Manson Says the Shipping Bill Had No
Such Purpose.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: On February IL. before Senate COM
mittee that was appointed to inquire into the
charge that the purpose of the ship purchase
bill was to enable the administration to pur-
chase the German ships tied up in American
ports, the absolute falsity of that charge was
concusvely proved.
Not only was Senator Burton, who led the
opposition on the bill, and on whose resolu-
ton this inquiry was created, thoroughly dis
credited regarding the charges mentioned,
but the vice-director of the Hamburg-Amcri-
can Line testified that with the exception Of
a few of its smallest and Oldest cargo steam
ers. representing only 3 per cent Of the value
of its steamers in American waters. none Of
these steamers we're for sale.
Yet with these facts before him, Senator
Lodge. in an article in "The Outlook" of Feb
ruary "a, attacked the shipping bill, basing
his attack on the allegation, which he re-
heated in his article that it was the purpose
of the administration to buy the German
ships.
He says: "Gf it is not the intention of the
administration to buy German ships, this
can be easily demonstrated by placing in the
bill the amendment. already voted down in
the committee, TO debar the government from
buying the ships OF any bellgerent or Of
the citizens or subjects of any belligerent
Voting down this amendment is an admls-
sion that the purchase of the German ships
is the intention of the administration
Six days before he permitted this 20 be
published over his name the Senate commit
tee was told, and printed transcript OF the
evidence was sent to Senator Lodge, that the
German boats were not for sale. Aside from
this fact. Senator Lodge knows that the
amendment he mentions could not be put in
the bill, for reason entirely different from
the one he assigns. lie and his associates
were told that such an amendment might
forfeit for all time the UNREASONABLE right
of the United States to buy belligerent ships
As matter Of fact, at the time Senator
Lodge wrote his article the shipping bill CON
tanned the unnecessary provision that no ship
purchases should be made that would violate
the conditions of our neutrality. We have
never had a President more careful 70 OBJ
serve our international obligations than the
present occupant of the White House, Wood
row Wilson.
wrote to the editor Of THE Outlook" and
pointed out wherein Senator Lodge had mis-
stated the facts, and that The Outlook"
owed it TO its readers TO set them right.
received prompt reply that they were in
vestigating the matter. This investigation
has evidently reached Senator Lodge. Note
the following:
Last Saturdays Tribune contained a dis
patch from Washington in which Senator
Lodge brazenly repeats the substance of his
Outlook" article. Two DAYS later. in to-
days Sun" appeared similar dispatch. GER
tainly no Longer news. as The Tribune pub
lished the same thing last Saturday.
hope that the Senate committee will sub
pera Senator Lodge and force him 10 make
good his statements or withdraw them; or
perhaps Senator Lodge will do as Senator
Bristow did in connection with an interview
that appeared in The New York Herald" of
Sunday, February II, on the very same sub
ject- repUdiate the interview.
The Tribune has been the only paper op-
posed TO the bill that has not suppressed
correspondence or "doctored" news dispatches
favorable to the bill, which is quite consist
ent with the honorable position taken by The
Tribune on advertising and other matters. |
therefore trust that The Tribune will set the
facts contained in this letter before the pub
lic Most of the other New York newspapers
have disgraced journalism BY the methods
they pursued in fighting the shipping bill.
the evidence OF which | have laid before the
Senate inquiry committee. which, much 70
the chagrin of some of the papers. will con-
tinue in session, although Congress has ad-
journed The shipping bill is sure to come
up again soon, and the subjec is lust as live
az il was before Congress adjourned
PHILIP MANSON.
Washington, March 6. 1915.