Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-25

borrow money. and 1t might also Sc
riously impair this nations ability to
ASSIST the neutral nations which though
not participants In the war, are COM
peiled to bear Il heavy burden on ac-
count or the war. and. again, Il war
ioah' II oHered FOR popular subscrip-
Von In the United States, would he taken
up chiefly by those who are I'm sym
pathy with the belligercnt seeking
the loan. The result would be that
kIeat numbers OF the American peo-
pie might become more earnest parti-
sans. having material interest in the
success or the bclligercnt whose honda
they hold. These purchasers would NOT
be confined to n few. but would spread
generally throughout the country. so
mat the people would be divided into
groups OF partisans. which would re-
SUIT In intense bitterness and might
cause an undesirable II not = serious
situation. On the other hand. contracts
TOT and sales of contraband are ,ne9c
matters OF trade. Tho manuforteror
unless peculiarly sentimental would
sell to one belligcrent as readily nc no
would to another. No general spirit
OF craftsmanship is arouscd--no svmpa :
thies excited The whole transaction
Is merely matter Of business
This government has not been adj
vised that any general loans have been
made to foreign governments I'm this
country since the President .xurcss.J
his wish that loans of this character
should not be made.
REQUIRES EVIDENCE
TO SUPPORT CHARGE:
90 submission to arrest of native
born Americans on neutral vessels and
in British ports. and their imprisou-
mcnt
The general charge as to the arrest
OF American born citizens on board
neutral vessels and in British ports. the
ignoring of their passports, and their
confinement in jails, requires evidence
TO support ii. That there have been
cases of injustice of this sort is un-
1uestionably true. but Americans in
Germany have suffered in this way as
Americans have in Great Britain This
government has considered that the
majority of these cases resulted from
oHerzealousness on the part of sub
ordinate officials in both countries.
Every case which has bccn brought
10 the attention of the Department OF
. State has beer properly investigated.
and. If the facts warranted. a demand
Tor release has been made.
TREATMENT or PRISONERS
AS GOOD As POSSIBLE
"'1a) Indifference TO confinement of
honcombantant in detention camps in
England and France.
AS TO the detention of noncombat-
ants confined in concentration camps.
all tie belligerents, with perhaps the
. exception of Servia and Russia. have
made similar complaints and those
! Tor whom this government is acting
have asked Investigations. which rep
rcsentatives OF this government have
made impartially. Their reports have
shown that the treatment OF prisoners
IS generally as good as possible under
me conditions in all countries and
that there is no more reason. to say that
they are mistreated in one country
than in another country or that this
government has manifested an indir-
terence In the matter. AS this depart =
ments efforts ut Investigations seemed
TO develop bitterness between the couu-
tries. the department on November 20
sent circular instruction to its rep
rescntatives not TO undertake further
investigation of concentration camps
But at the special request of the
German government that MIR. Jackson.
former American minister at Bucha rest.
now attached to the American embassy
at Berlin. make an investigation of the
prison camps In England, in addition
to the investigations already made. the