TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1915-05-24
AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE UNION.
May 20. lelS.

Every national interest is sacrificed
by our wholesale expectation of arms
We are creating huge vested interest
in a non productive and expensive in
dustry. We will he plagued by lobby
and corruption without end to get US
to buy their products. We are engen.
dering hate in the hearts of millions
OF our best customers and oar own
citizens. We are laying up against our
selves the charge OF hypocrisy every
time we try to utter word for peace.
We are taking cowardly part in a
war on those who did US no hurt. We
are coming Europe's agony into our
dirty dollars. God will Judge us and
that right early.
Thomas Hall.
Vice President.
We present herewith the strongest
statement, both from the point OF view
OF abstract law and from the point Of
view OF humanity, on the shipment Of
implements of murder to Europe, that
has been published so far in this coun.
try. This remarkable document is from
the pen OF Hon. Charles Sagel, Secretary
OF Commerce and Labor In the Cabinet
OF Pres. William Howard Taft. We are
Indebted for this article 20 the curtesy
OF the american Leader.
TRAFFIC IN ARMS AND Asiyft'NI-
TON
BY Hon. Charles Nagel
EX-secretary OF Commerce and Labor.
THOSE who indulge the belief that
public interest in the sale OF arms ana
ammunition has subsidized because the
Hitchcock bill died with the adjourn.
mcnt of Congress are doomed to dis.
appointment. Ambitious statesmen who
were glad to find 4 politicians escape
in the convenient declaration that it
would be unneutral to refuse TO sell
arms to beliigerents may see this un-
happy phrase come back to plague both
its authors and it, sponsors. To the
minds OF those who upon grounds Of
and decency are opposed to
this traffic, the excuse offered for not
placing an embargo upon these sales
was adding insult TO injury. 1t was
not regarded as an honest excuse; but
As the invention Of men who wanted
either TO evade the issue or 70 lind q
way TO aid favored belligerents, or
both.
1t is, Of course, accepted that the
rules OF international Law do not for
bid such sales. The rights Of the Ger.
man and Austrian Governments are not |
involved at all.
Germany does not even protest our i
light to sell arm and ammunition;
although she has expressed her surprise
II our enormous sales OF ammunition
Il the Allies and our failure at the
'ame time to insist upon our undoubted
light TO deliver ioodstufis TO the clvi.
ians of Germany and Austria. Hungary.
The question, however, is essentially
me OF our own self-respeet. What prec-
dents have We in our own history to
ahde Us,
During our late difficulties with Mex
co our Government prevented Ger
nan merchantmen from delivering arms
nd ammunition to one Of the Mexican
actions. The German ship was clearly
within her rights; but she yielded 20
ur desire. WHAT was the founda ton
or our action7 Plainly that our Gov.
rnment did not sympsthize with the
articular consignee. We objected TO
he giving Of aid TO Huerta from any
ource. We exercised a preference be
ween two belligerent factions even TO
he extent OF interfering with the rights {
another power. BY the same rule ,
e cannot insist upon the right to sell {
rms TO the Allies, and at the same ]
me escape the suspicion before the {
orld and before our own people that !
e are exercising preference in favor {
one and against another friendly c
over. {
We have gone farther. Congress ad.
pied a resolution which gave the Pres. !
ent the authority 10 place an embargo j
pom the shipment OF arms and anu.
unition from this country to any !
.her country upon this continent EN-.
lged in internal strife. That authority
as used The shipment OF arms was Y
.ohibited, until the Government In It's c
sire TO aid favored faction In
exico lifted the embargo in its behalf.
gain We used the privilege TO sell or
i to sell by preference. We not only y
tablished the rule that We may for. u
4 the traffic in arms and ammunition. II
II We went farther and established s.
2 principle that we may and will use 4
IT power to encourage or TO discourage g
rticular belligerents. The circumstan. d
that the resolution OF Congress was
stricted to this continent is not con. y
olling. This continent embraces many q
tions: but with not one OF them ia o.
r relation, politically, commercially 8
humanity speaking, as close as It il ~