Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-23
TAFT SETS FORTH THEPRESENT
SITUATION that C0NFR0NTS ALL
NEUTRALS, IN FEB. u ADDRESS

ferences in self-saerihGing loyalty to our
common flag and our common country
Washinston's Policy
The acts and utterances of George
Washington in preserving the neutrality
Of The United States during the wa
between France and England in the early
life Of the republic, Mr.. Taft thought
formed good text from which Ito
preach a sermon On Washington's birth
day"
Most of the great powers of Europe
are again at war" Mr.. Taft said. I'VE
have among our citizens many who look
back to the country of one or the other
of the belligerents as their native land.
The natural result has followed that the
bitterness Of the contest is reflected in
the conflicting sympathies of our peo-
pile. This has stimulated public interest
and created partisans who attack Pres
ident Wilson because he has faithfully
followed the example set, and the adj
monitions given, by our first President.
Dangerous Partisa nship
$50 extreme have some of these par
tisans become that they propose to Or
ganize a political party and take polit-
ical action, to be based on issues arising
out Of the present war; to ignore alto
gether the questions germane to Ameri-
can domestic politics and to visit all can
didates in future elections, who do not
subscribe to their fanatical views, with
political punishment.
Legislation is pressed to forbid the
sale of arms and ammunition by our
merchants in trade to belligerents. 1t
happens that the party, which is prepar-
ed with ammunition and arms, is exclud-
ed from the seas by the navies of their
opponents. 1t is said that we should
place an embargo on that trade and
bring the war to an end. 1t has always
been rule of international law that
neutral countries may sell arms and am
munition to either belligerents, but that
they are absolute contraband and liable
to confiscation on board neutral vessel
I'VE do not discriminate between the
belligerents in the matter of furnishing
war material. 1t is only that the fortune
of war and circumstances over which
we have no control prevent one from
purchasing in our markets which are
open to the world. Nor is it possible to
see why the doing of that which neutrals
in all wars have been permitted to do
should be made unneutral by such cir
curstances. The change of the we'll
established rule, however, where such a
change would inure only to the benefit Of
one of the parties, might well be regard
ed as unneutral. as has been pointed out
by the President.
Neutrality leagues. therefore, that
are organized TO press legislation In the
nature Of an embargo on the sale OF
arms and ammunition, do not seem to be
rightly named.
| Arms to EeIIieerents
But my chief objection to giving up
! the lawful and usual course Of a neutral
TO sell arms and ammunition to bellig
erents is based on the highest national
! interest. We are a country which is
never likely to be fully prepared for war.
/ We must have the means of preparing
as rapidly as possible after war Is imrni-
nent and inevitable We would be most
foolish to adopt a policy of refusing to
! sell arms and ammunition to belligerent
powers which if il was pursued against
/ US when we We're driven into war would
! leave US helpless.
! In our Spanish War we were obliged
/ to purchase ships and other equipment
for war from foreign countries, and In
any future war VS. would be in the same
position.
More than this, if we were to place
an embargo on the sale of arms and
ammunition to belligerents, we would
discourage the industry in this country
and reduce substantially our possible do
nestle means of preparing for future
wars.
Finally. the general adoption of
course by neutrals not TO sell arms TO
! the belliSerents in war would greatly
stimulate the tendency to increase arm
aments in time of peace to be ready for
war Such a stimulus to greater arna-
ments We all should deplore because Of
their burden upon the peoples.