The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-08-25

established practice of the two en-
pires in the matter of trade in war
supplies.
I'm view of the foregoing state
ments, this government is reluctant
to believe that the imperial and royal
government will ascribe to the Unit
ed States a lack Of impartial neu-
trality in continuing its legitimate
trade in all kinds of supplies used to
render the armed forces Of bellig-
erent efficient, even though the cir
cumstances of the present war pre-
vent Austria-Hungary from obtaining
such supplies from the markets OF
the United States, which have been
and remain, so far as the action and
policy of this government are, con-
cerned, open to all belligerents alike.
The American Policy
"But, in addition to the question
of principle, there is a practical and
substantial reason why the govern
ment of the United States has from
the foundation of the republic to the
present time advocated and practiced
unrestricted trade in arms and mill
tary supplies. 1t has never been the
policy of this country to MAINTAIN IN
time of war large military estao-
iishment or stores of arms and am
munition sufficient to repel invasion
by a well-equipped and powerful
enemy. 1t has desired to remain at
peace with all nations and to avoid
any appearance of menacing such
peace by the threat Cf its armies and
navies. In consequence of this stand
ing policy, the United States would,
in the event of attack by a foreign
power, be at the outset OF the war
seriously, if not fatally, embarrassed
bv the lack of arms and ammunition
and by the means to produce them IN
sufficient quantities to supply the re-
uuirements of national defense. The
United States has always depended
upon the right and power to purchase
arms and ammunition from neutral
nations in case of foreign attack.
This right, which st claims for itself,
it can not deny to others.
"a nation whose principle and pol
icy it is to rely upon international
obligations and international justice
to preserve it's political and terrific
rial integrity might become the prey
of an aggressive nation whose policy
and practice it is to increase it's mill
tary strength during times of peace
with the design of conquest, unless
the nation attacked Gag, after war
had been declared, go into the mar
kets of the world and purchase the
means to defend itself against the
aggressor.
What it Would Mean
"The general adoption by the ma
tions of the world of the theory that
neutral powers ought to prohibit the
sale of arms and ammunition to bel
ligerents would compel every nation
to have in readiness at all times sui
ficient munitions Of war to meet any
emergency which might arise, and to
it's military and naval forces through
out the progress of a war. Manifest
ly. the application of this theory
would result in every nation Decom-
ing an armed camp, ready to resist
aggression and tempted to employ
force in asserting it's rights rather
than appeal to reason and Justice TOR
the settlement of international dis
putes.
A World MilitariSm
"perceiving, as it does, that the
adoption of the principle that II IS
the duty of neutral to prohibit the
sale of arms and ammunition to
belligerent during the progress Oh
war would inevitably give the adVan-
tace to the belligerent which had en-
coura ced the manufacture OF NUM-
tions in time of peace and which had
laid in vast stores Of arms and am
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