The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-06-11
Note SENT TO
BERLIN, OFFICIALS SAY
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cording to this plan, to which the Ma
ton has pledged its support.
"The second point of difference is
as to the course which should be pur-
sued in regard to Americans travelling
on belligerent ships or with cargoes
of ammunition.
"Why should an American citizen be
permitted to involve his country in
war by travelling on a belligerent ship
when he knows that the ship will pass
through danger zone? The ques-
ton is not whether an American citi-
zen has right, under international
law, to travel on belligerent ship;
the question is whether he ought not,
out of consideration for his country, if
not for his own safety, avoid danger
when avoidance is possible.
at is very one-sided citizen who
compels a government to go to war
over a citizens rights, and yet relieve
the citizen of all obligation to con-
slider his Nations welfare.
81 do not know just how far the
Government can legally go in actually
preventing Americans from travelling
on belligerent ships. But believe the
Government should go as far as it
can, and that, in case of doubt, it
should give the benefit of the doubt to
the Government. But even if the Gov
eminent could not legally prevent citi
zens from travelling on belligerent
ships, it could, and in my judgment it
should, earnestly advise American citi-
zens not to risk themselves or the
peace of their country, and l have no
doubt that these warnings would be
needed.
president Taft advised Americans
to leave Mexico when insurrection
broke out there, and the President has
repeated the advice. This advice, in
my judgment, was eminently wise, and
think the same course should be fol-
lowed in regard to warning Americans
to keep off vessels subject to attack.
81 think that American passenger
ships should be prohibited from carry
ing ammunition. The lives of passen-
gers ought not to be endangered by
cargoes Of ammunition, whether that
danger comes from possible explosion
from within or from possible attack
from without. Passengers and amTu-
milton should not travel together.
"The attempt to prevent American
citizens from mourning these risks is
entirely consistent with the efforts
which our Government is making to
prevent attacks from submarines. The
use of one remedy does not exclude
the use of the other.
"The most familiar illustration is to
be found in the action taken by NUM-
cipal authorities during a riot 1t is
the duty of the Mayor to suppress the
mob and prevent violence, but he does
not hesitate to warn citizens to keep
off the streets during the riot. He
does not question their right to use
the streets, but for their own protec-
ton and in the interest of order he
warns them not to incur the risks in
volved in going upon the streets when
men are shooting at each other.
"The President does not feel JUST
fled in taking the action above sug-
geSted; that is, he does not feel iusti-
fled, first, in suggesting the submits
sion of the controversy to investiga
ton, or, second, in warning the people
not to incur the extra hazard involved
in travelling on belligerent ships or
ships carrying ammunition; and he
may be right N the position he has ia
ken, but as a private citizen | am free
to urge both of these propositions and
to call public attention to these rene
dies in the hope of securing such an
expression of public sentiment as will
support the President in employing
these remedies if in the future he
finds it consistent with his sense of
duty to favor them"
The ex-Secretary in giving out his
statement said he has touched on but
two points of difference between HIM
self and the President; that he re-
served the others for future discus
sion.