The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1915-02-11
THE JEFFER@ONIAN

stated that the bcllgerent nations had been
sounded and that none Of them objected to the
proposed purchase those who can only see the
way the Administration does, howIed that it
was only pretense of fear to discredit the
purpose OF the Administration.
Finally the Shipping bill reached the stage
where Senator Lodge offered his amendment
providing that no ship should be purchased
from any of the beligerents. and the Lodge
amendment was promptly voted down.
In view Of what Senator Lodge stated that
Secretary McAdoo had virtually admitted
that it was the intention Of this government
to buy the German ships lnterned In our ports
the voting down Of the Lodge amendment
certainly put the people on notice that this
Administration was steering us into danger
Gus waters
But still the Administration denied that
any Of the belligerents objected to our buying
the interncd ships
Secretary Bryan said that England did not
object; Mr. Lansing, the Counsellor for the
Department, who has been employed to help
prevent Mr.. Bryan's making such a spectacle
Of himself in big mans job, denied it, and
SO the denial went on up or down the line to
Pat Tumulty.
But the Republicans have kept finging it
at the Democrats and all through the all
night session of the Senate of Jan. 20-3O,
they were continually proddled by Senators
Smoot, Sutherland and Lodge with the charge
that great Britain did oppose oar purchase Of
the i1ate1ned German ships, ships that Great
Britain considered virttazJy captured.
So positive were these Republican Senators
about England's protest that the Democratic
leaders inquired around little bit to make
doubly sure that Mr.. Bryan's Mr. Lansing's,
and other denlals of the charges were correct,
and during this inquiry they stumbled over
the amazing fact that on Jan. Is, of this
year, Sir Cecil Spring Rice, British Ambas-
sador to this country, is said to have told Mr..
Bryan that Great Britain would not consent
to our purchasing ships from one of the belli-
gerents, and that Great Britain would never
regard the transfer of German vessels now
lnterned IN American ports as In keeping with
neutrality.
And while Secretary Redfeld has been yell
ing about the country that we could buy
British ships as we'll as German ships, it
comes to light that Great Britain issued an
order on Sept. % of last year that no British
ship should be sold to any country without
the consent of the other governments.
Of course, Mr.. Bryan has put himself and
his Office in position that is embarrassing to
the American people and would be embarrass-
ing to any other man himself but Mr.. Bryan,
dllu Tile are
the feeble apology that the oversight is due
to Mr. Bryan's "temperamental Deficiencies"
that Sir Cecil Spring Rice told him Great
Britain's attitude in an informal conversation,
and that Secretary Bryan is not in the habit
of making notes Of these informal converse
tlons, as his predecessors did.
It is evident from the Democratic apology
that the Secretary of State isn't expected to
carry his brain about with him.
At times during the debate on the Shipping
hill the Democrats have CHARGED that the