The Washington times., 1915-11-06
But With Less Chance Of Con.
gress Passing It Than at
Last Session.
TO BE OF POLITICAL NATURE
Advocates Of Embargo Believed
to Be Making Appeal to Pro.
German Vote.

Renewed efforts TO get Congress to
pass measure for an embargo on
arms and war munitions. so as to pre-
vent their shipment to the European
bellieerents. will be made as soon as
the session opens In December
Senator Hitchcock Of Nebraska has
made II plain that he will renew his
enorts In the Senate. and various House
members will stir up the embargo aues-
ton. Senator Hitchcock was active in
behalf of such legislation In the last
Congress and II may be expected he
will take the floor early In the session
and again champion It. bringing the
situation with respect to exports Of
arms and munitions from this country
down to date.
Less Chance For Embargo.
In the House. two Of the most pro-
nounced champions Of the embargoing
OF arms and ammunitions will be missing
since they were not reelected. They
are Congressman Bartholdt, Of st.
Louis. Republican. and Congressman
cro. wollmes r,,s Of p PpaySenport. ,SI Iowa. Demo.
constituencies and they championed the
cause Of an arms embargo from first
to last.
The Indications are that the resolu-
actment OF an embargo will be largely
OF political character. They will be put
forward In most cases because their
authors see In them an appeal to the
There is less chance for Congress
passing an arms and munitions embargo
measure than there was last session
For this. there are several reasons
with the bulk Of the Democrats. Is that
President Wilson does not want an
arms embargo imposed and does not
want to be clothed with the power OF
imposing one. The Administration at
the outset Of the war took the position
that this country was within its legal
rights In exporting arms and munitions
to belligerents. X docs not deviate from
there was talk of an imminent panic.
One way by which this was prevented
was through the large war orders from
Europe. The Administration welcomed
allv were deeply anxious that the
threatened panic be avertcd. It was
averted and now there is general talk OF
good times.
Won't Tamper With Good Times.
However. the fact that good times are
at hand does not make the responsible
Administration leaders any more anx-
ious to cut of any OF the nations ex.
port business. Congress. therefore, will
not interfere with arms and munitions
shipments under present circumstances
and. so long as this country is not
threatened with war.
The Administration In exchanges with
Germany and Austria set forth a prin.
cipc which In any circumstances the
nited States cannot abandon. II Il
said. This IL to the effect that II the
doctrine Is followed that war materi.
ais shall not be shipped to belligerents
then every nation would be compelled
at all times to have It's arsenals full
ready for war. inasmuch as 1t would no,
he able to obtain war materials after
hostilities opened. This doctrine no,
only would mean that little nations
would go out of business. but that the
United States In war. without adeUua Il
war materials on hand might he hope
lessly defeated at the outset. This
phase Of the case Is great an OBJ
stacle to an embargo that II Is not a
all likely II can be overcome.
Congressman Towner of Iowa Repub
lican. urged in the last Congress tina,
there be an embargo on the ground thai
this country needed the war materials
itself. His plan could be carried ou
without affecting the principle as tc
right to export to belligerents. Blu
there seems now no probability that tn,
plan will be adopted. Disclosure som,
time ago that Germany and Austria
have been more than willing to get wal
materials here have not strengthened
the embargo movement.