The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-28

wac on several occasions voted down.
you yourself As ] am informed. he
ing one OF those who voted It down.
The failure TO put IN such q proYiso
is conclusive proof that the main Oh
tect in passing the act was 10 pur-
chase these very ships
Such an act WAS OF necessity an
act in the interest of the corporations,
foreign or native, who had any inter
est in the ships and indirectly In the
interest OF the German government.
ono of the bellieerent governments.
Claims Literal Correctness.
My statement was literally aud eX-
actly correct. President Wilson and
Secretary MCAdoo have been pushing
this ship purchase bin to the utmost
Of their ability. This IL n matter OF
common notcriety, and ] do not sup
pose that any one will pretend to deny
it. Their action was in the interest
of the foreign corporations owning or
interested in the ownership, of the
informed ships.
Folly For Him to Testify.
IF 1t hal not been then these
ships would have been specifically
exempted from the operation of the
act This statement again cannot be
denied 1t is useless TO attempt to
deny II, and IL would be mere folly.
to get me on to testify on the mat
ter when my information is merely
that which IL patent to every man of
common sense who takes an inter
est In his country's welfare. and is
a~r''ointed with the course of current
events.
- here was no precedent for the
proposed action, for purchase by the
Government is wholly distinct from
oh ~ vax4r 20. t,-a at l.,
never before has IL been proposed
that our, Government should pur-
chase the ships of belligerent pow
ers. That the purpose of the bill
was the purchase of the German in
termed ships was In effect admitted
by Secretary McAdoo in his testi-
mony before the House committee
last summer. which testimony waA
q -oted by Senator Lodge In his first
speech In The Senate on the subject.
and must ne familiar to you.
AS for President Wilson and Secre-
tary Bryan knowing that th!s pro-
posed act would bring us into con-
i1ict with the powers opposed TO the
power owning the informed ships.
can refer you to the speeches in the
United States Senate OF Senators
Lodge and Root and others. | am
informed that our Government was
GfnctAlIy, or unpH1claJIy, nOtlHeu OF
this fact by representatives Of the
foreign governments with which we
would be brought into hostile contact
by the measure. but whether or not
this is so any man in public position
who did his duty who was informed
In any way of the sentiment in the
foreign countries concerned about the
measure, or who had read The debates
Of the United States Senate or the
articles In our own press on the sub
ject. could not possibly have avoided
knowing that We would have been
brought into conflict with foreign
powers by the success of the measure;
that, In the words Of one of your own
body, we were purchasing a quarrel
with every ship
Summarizes situation.
1T, therefore, appears:
First. that Presidents Wilson and
Secretary McAdoo pushed the matter.
Second. that II WAS in the interest
OF the foreign corporations owning
the interned ships.
Third. that the success OF the
measure would have meant the iikli-
hood If embroiiing MS with the allied
Fourth, that Ait of THESE facts had
e~@- St@t@d aaaia and asain that