New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-21
WIRELESS AND MUNITIONS
Why Restrict the One and Not the
Shipment of the Other?
70 the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In your editorial Stand by the Pres
ident" you say: German propagandist jour
nails are already printing tabulations of the
loss of Democratic votes incident to Mr..
Wilson's performance of his duty" | hardly
think that you can name more than one of
these journals that attempted to inject this
question into American politics attempted,
say, because of the question sheets" this
journal sent out in order TO determine the
drift of German American opinion the great
majority were not returned, Notwithstanding
the fact the paper in question had assured
It's readers that no names would be pub
lshed.
1t must also be said that this journal sent
out the questions before the Lusitania catas
trophe it merely attempted to find out what
the majority of Americans Of German birth
or descent think about the neutrality policy
Of the President. For various reasons, which
am sorry to say have not been properly
discussed in the vernacuar press, a large
part Of the population has come to the con-
clusion that Mr. Wilson has not been entirely
impartial in his dealings with foreign ma
tions.
You will remember that when the war
broke out our government closed the two
wireless stations belonging to companies
partly financed by German capital. Later
they were recpened but they were compelled
to accept supervision by censors. This was
done in order to prevent unneutral messages
being flashed to German warshps.
Mr. Wilson was at that time in n some
what difficult position, because there was no
stipulation of international law making it his
duty 10 establish a censorship. In fact, the
second Hague convention expressly says that
no neutral government is required TO take
such a step. No domestic law could be dis
covered permitting the President to censor
anything. Our Attorney General, however,
was equal to the occasion: he certified that
Mr.. Wilson, as the commander in chief of
the army and navy, could go beyond the law
if the neutrality of the country demanded
such a step.
Now, observe the sequel When immense
quantities of arms and ammunition were
ordered here and the Allies began to trans
form these United States into their base of
operations, so TO speak, a demand was made
in Washington that this traffic be prohib-
tied, as the neutrality of the United States
was endangered. 1t was refused and some
time later Mr.. Bryan wrote to Senator Stone
that the President was helpless in the arms
and ammunition question, because neither
the international agreements nor the domes-
tic laws Of the United States contained any
thing that would enable him to stop the
traffic.
II was then pointed out to the President that
he, as the commander in chief of the army
.ty,A oil h l. H..
the wireless matter, and prohibit the export
Of war material as being against true neu-
tralty. The question was also discussed
whether news sent by wireless that would
enable German ships to gain an advantage
on the high seas were more unneutral than
American shrapnels and shells of which 4
certain percentage must and do kill German
soldiers.
This question was not answered from
Washington, and | think The Tribune would
deserve the thanks Of a large part Of the
population If il could bridge the chasm that
seems to exist between the treatment of the
wireless stations and The traffic in arms and
ammunition. | might also point out that the
German Ambassador must yield up his pri
vate code to the censors, while his English.
French and other colleagues may send any
thing they desire over the Atlantic cables.
of course uncensored.
About four weeks after the war broke out
the United States concluded an agreement
with the Republic of Panama which provided
that as far as neutrality questions were in
volved the waters of the two republics should
be considered an entity. Before that treaty
q German warship could coal and provision
in port of the Republic of Panama. and
then, without waiting for the expiration of
three months, come into United States har
Dor for the same purpose. After this agree