Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-21
WITHOUT A LEG TO STAND on.

WITHOUT 4 LEG TO STAND on.
AZ w&s widely expected. our state
department, In itg reply 10 aastria'y
| complaint, declined 10 Interfere with
the private shipment Of munitions 10
European 3ellige-en.s In language 80
po4isige and convincing a. not orlg
" clOge the discussion abroad, bot
To check sentiment III favor Of al
embargo al home.
Aside from the geneyal principle
1a8e1 upon tle usage Of nations e.
tabllghlng the complete freedom RI
ne1trals IN this matter. the chief rea-
aon for its decision given by Dur gov
crnEaent Ia the weakening Of ire
gouer 81 the United States 10 taes
country has y maintained q large
! military establishment or accuMu'at-
times Of peace and has always lie
pended upon the right 10 purchase
arms from neutral natOnz in ease
Of foreign attack. II the lDng@ts-.d-
ing policy guarding such freedom
were: reversed now in order TO piea2e
Austria and Germany, obviously the
United States world do Itself great
! t. s4r. (ItIkr r1rr y-s,. -,-y-.i I
also be injured and ever the caHEc
oY peace Itself world be vastly harm
cd, for sIch 4 cou-se, IL genersllT
adopted, would force milita-.sn upon
the whole world, compelling ali ma
tons 10 keep c~Dr&tantlg oD hand SUI,
ficient munitions 10 last them
throughout any war in which they
might engage.
Scarcely leSg pointed Ii our state
departments exposure OF the start
ling incona!atency Of Austria in max
ing such q protest. II IL shown. for
example, that during the Boer war,
when the situation Of the Boe- ;e-
public was almost Identical with that
OF Austria and Germany at the pres
cnt time In the matter OF commercial
isolation, botl Austria and Germany
sold munitions II war 10 Great Brit
ain. Our government does not rest
upon mere a2gertion. but gives Gg,
urcs showing that Germany, especial
y, sold 10 Great Britain vast quaint.
ties OF ezploGlyes, gunpowder, cart
ridges, shot and weapons. II Ii also
pointed gu that prustia Furnished
Russia with munitions during the
Crimcan war; that German arms
were shipped 10 Turkey during that
country'a recent war with Italy: and
that during the balkan wars bots
AnBtri. and German" sold the bel
llgercnlS munitions. II might have
been shown further that such Ger
man companieg az the Krrppg were
the largest purycy0rg OF war mate,
rails to the two bcliigcrcntg during
the Russo-Japanegc q
And 1t might well have been Bug.
gested that cvcn now Germany and
Austria "onld be large p~urcha8ers o.
American-madc munitions did not
conditions prevent, and that even ar
1t Is, a part CT the American product
Is being purchased By Germany,
Many New England manufacturers"
noted the Providence Journal, ed.
torlally, last February, have for
months been selling to German
agents in the United States machin-
cry and material Of all kinds, which
they know Is destined for Germany,
although 1t Is consigned 10 middle,
men in neutral ports. It Is common
knowledge that the trick OF consigu,
ing Il dummy consigned In q ncutra.
port Is being practiccd constantly.
Shipments to Germany by this met.
cd from the %I)upo1ts in Delaware
and from other parts OF the country
have also been reported after 1s.c
munitions had safely crossed the sea.
But even II no such facts could be
cited, our state departments reply
would not leave the Austrian protest
a leg to stand on.