Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-12
TO STOP SHIPPING OF ARMS
Continued From Page y

~
ception Of the United States. all the
countries capable Of a noteworthy
production of war material are either
at war themselves or completing their
armament and have prohibited the
export of war material. Thereforel
the United States of America is the
only country in a position to export
war material. This fact ought to
give new meaning to the idea Of
neutrality, independent of the formal
law.
Instead of that, and In contradic.
ton with the real spirit of neutral.
ty, an enormous new industry Of war
materials of every kind is being built
up in the United States, inasmudI
as not only the existing plants AMI
kept busy and enlarged. but also neVl
ones are continually founded.
Supplies to One Party
1.-THE International agreements faI
the protection of the right of neutFS1
originate in the necessity of prottH
ing the existing industries of the ma
trail countries. There were never mi.
tended to encourage the creation dI
entirely new industries in neutral
states, as, for instance the new arm
Industry. in the United States whica|
supplies only one party of the bellig|
erents..
In reality the American industE
is supplying only Germany's enemies
a. fact which is in no way modifei
by the purely theoretical willingness
to. furnish Germany as well, if it wers
possible.
eft the American people desire 70
observe true neutrality, they will fine
means to stop the exclusive exporta'
ton of arms to one side or at least
to use this export trade as a means
to uphold the legitimate trade witt
Germany. especially to trade in food.
stuffs. This spirit Of neutrality shouIl
appear the more justified to the Unit.
ed States as 1t has been maintaine'
toward Mexico.
According to the declaration OF con
gressmen made in the House commute
for foreign relations Dec. 80, 1914, Pres'
dent Wilson is quoted as having said o.
Feb. 4, 1914, when the embargo on arm
for Mexico was lifted:
I'VE should stand for genuine neutral
ity, considering the surrounding FACT
of the case = he then held tina
in that case that because Carranza ma
no ports. while Huerta had them and wa
able to import these materials that
was our duty as a nation to treat theh
(Carranza and Huerta) upon an equallt
if we wished to observe the true spirit
neutrality as compared with a mere pa
per neutrality
This conception Of the true spirit o
neutrality if applied to the present cas-
would lead to an embargo on arms"
Defends Publication
In reply to published reports to the e'
feet that American officials were irritat
ed at the announcement of the embassy
intention to make the memorandum pup
lie, Count Won Bernstorff said tonight
There is nothing unusual in its puDA'
cation as all the American notes thar
went to Berlin. including that regardins
the Frye case, have been published.
to further criticisms that Germany hso
In former wars taken the same attitude
as the United States in regard to sal'
OF ammunition to belliserents. desire q
call attention to what Andrew d. White
American ambassador to Germany at TIT
time Of the Spanish-American war. san
In his autobiography in regard to Span
ish vessel which was reported by TIT
American consul at Hamburg to be sus
pected of being loaded with arms for uss
against the United States In Cuba "
White said: ~
fastened to the foreign Office "a,
urged that vigorous steps oe taken. wi
the result that the vessel which in +.
meantime had left Hamburg, was owe
nauied and searched at the mouth Of II
Eine. The German government mil j
easily nave pleaded. in answer to my u
quest that the American government id
generally shown itself opposed to u
sucn interference with the shipmen,
small arms to belligerents and had t"1
'enoed that it was not obliged to seq.
vessels to find such contraband of '.
out that this duty was incumbent
'ne oeiiigerent nation concerned tio]]
Nearly $1,000 engine frivers and uotto