The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-02-20
DECLARES j. 5.
FAV0RS ALLIES
Arms Shipments Prevent Our
Strict Neutrality, Says
Bartholdt in House.
TRAFFIC PROLONGS WAR
Gives Lie to Prayers for Peace. and
Embargo Should Be Put on Statute
Books, He Thinks.

In a speech delivered in the House
yesterday, Representative Richard
Bartholdt, of Missouri, a native oil
Germany, demanded that an embargo
be placed on the export shipment OF
arms and ammunition to Europe. Mr..
Bartholdt who will retire from the
House on March after a service OF
twenty-five years in that body. dis
cussed the attitude of the United
State toward the belligerents and de-
clared that there were good reasons
for the complaints of German-Amer-
leans that this country is not pre-
serving strict neutrality.
He began with the assertion that
Germans in the United States will be
loyal to the American flag. no mat
ter what crisis may arise In tho
worlds affairs. Following his speech
Mr. Bartholdt went to New York.
where today he will attend the meet
ing that will be held to organize tho
neutrality league.
Says o. 8. Favors Allies.
Mr. Bartholdt recited several Incl
dents which he said tended TO sup
port his contention that the United
States was disposed to favor the al
lies against the Teutonic alliance.
After this explanation can you under
stand why the German mind in this couu
try is agitated. and can you blame that
element if its feelings are ruffled?" he
said. When. moreover. it dawned upon
them that all our arms factories were
running night and day to supply the
allies with weapons for use against their
brothers and kinsmen. nothing could
convince them that the United States
was not actually a silent partner Of the
allies. Then it was that they demanded,
and are still demanding. an embargo on
arms to enforce honest neutrality, the
kind of neutrality which the President
proclaimed when he said: We should be
neutral in fact as we'll as u name. and
should put a curb on every transaction
which might be construed as giving a
preference to one party to the struggle
above another
This shameful traffic in arms. they
argue, gives the lie to our prayers for
peace. because it tends TO prolonS the
war, and its permission by international
law, they believe. imposes no obligation
on our citizens to carry it on-no moro
on us than on the neutral countries which
have stopped il upon the demand of Eng
land herself.
Can Bring Britain to Terms.
whether the President would use the
authority or not. there ought to be a
law on our statute books which conferS
such authority upon him In order that
he might enforce his demands for free
and open sea. and unrestricted commerce
in noncontraband goods. IN. our present
demands against England our only alter
native Is either to give in or declare
war.
The threat Of an embargo on arms
would quickly bring the mistress OF the
sea- to terms and without war Hence
the legislation demanded by what he
ro-English press is pleased to call Ger
man mass meetings will be a preventive
of rather than a provocation to a war
with England, and thus falls to the
ground another Of the silly charges pre-
ferred by the press bureau Of the allies
against me and the several millions of
Aemrican citizens who think as l do"