The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-25
Secretary of State. In Unusual
Document, Presents Govern
ment's Policy on All Issues
of The War
Reply To General
Charge Made By
Senator Stone
| wenty Specifications Against
Administration By Pro-Ger-
man and Austrian Elements
Given Detailed Answer.
United States Own Record

United States Own Record
Washington, Jan. 24.--The most UNI
usual document yet issued By this
Government. as a result OF the war,
was tonight made public by Secretary
of State Bryan.
1t is in the form OF a 5000 word
letter to Senator Stone. of Missouri,
chairman of the Committee on For
eign Relations and is a detailed de-
Tense of the administration against
charges repeatedly made by Germans
and other sympathizers that this Gov
ernment Is favoring the Allies.
The letter amounts to statement
OF this Governments policy on prac-
ticaiiy all issues growing out Of the
war. and involving the United States.
The action of the administration at
every point of contact with the war
has been construed by German
isympathizers as unfriendly to their
cause, and the letter is an attempt 10
ianswer specifically all the charges
made In this connection. All the
controversies regarding shipping guess
ltfons, purchase of war supplies. COLI
itrol Of communications and others,
are discussed in the documents. and
statements made to prove the absolute
Government under the accepted rules
of international law.
Unitcd States In Civil War.
One Of the interesting features Of
f3ryan's letter Is an admission that, In
relation to- controversies with Great
Britain. the United States Is restrained
by reason of its own record as a bell
ligerent in the Civil War. In regard
to contraband and interference with
shipping. It is admitted the United
States in the Civil War did many
things. the doing OF which is now COM
planned of In this country.
In some quarters here tonight Sec
Rotary Bryan's letter is regarded as
a political document. intended not
only for the general purpose Of in
forming the public concerning the re-
lation of this Government to questions
growing out Of the war. but more par
ticulariy to check the growing hostility
Of the pro-German and Austrian ele-
ments in the country toward the Will
son administration.
The letter made public tonight Is in
answer to one from Senator Stone, IN
which the Senator voiced the twenty
specifications in the general charge
the Allies, as against Germany.
The Administrations answer to the
last specification OF Senator Stone is
one OF the most important and sig
nihcant statements in the entire docu-
ment.
state Department officials are con-
fident that the document will go far
toward establishing in the eyes OF the
whole world the absolute neutrality
and impartiality OF the United States
Government.
l1&t L.
follows:
January 90. 1915.
II have received your letter of the
sth instant referring To frequent COM
plants on charges made in one form
or another through the press that this
Government has shown Partially ta
Great Britain, France and Russia.
against Germany and Austria during
the present war, and stating that you
have received numerous letters to the
same effect. from sympathizerx with
the latter powers
You summarize the various
grounds of these complaints and ask
that you be furnished with whatever
Information the department may
have touching these points of conn
plant In order that you may be In
formed as to what the true situation
is In regard to these matters.
I'm order that you may have such
information as the department has on
the subjects referred to in your let-
ter / will take them up seriatim-
Treatment OF Communication.
Freedom OF communication by
submarine cables versus censored
communication by wireless
The reason that wireless messages
and cable messages require different
treatment by q neutral government il
as follows:
communications by wireless can.
not be interrupted by belligerent.
With a submarine cable 1t Is other.
WISE The possibility OF cutting the
cable exists. Since a cable 10 subject
to hostile attack the responsibility
falls upon the bclligerent and not
upon the neutral to prevent cable
communication. A more important
of a. neutral government. II that mes-
sa gns sent out from q wireless station
In neutral territory may be recstved
by belligerent warships on the high
seas.
AS a wireless message can be- re-
ceived by all stations and vssssls
within q given radius every message n
cipher, whatever its intended deotinA-
ton, must be censored.
Censorsaalp Of Malta.
"2--Censorhip Of mails, and n
some cases repeated destructton ek
American letters on neutral veesala
AS to tho censorship o. malls 0eTs
many a. well ~ Great Britain -
pursued this course N reGar4 n -
Nats Jettsxn falltng 1nto
The naauS9tloMe4 4lnl
81 il n ssss q z III u 8SR 5 Is;