The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-01-28
WALSH DEFENDS
SHIP PURCHASE
Right Of United States Regarding In.
termed German Steamers Cannot BE-
Denied By England, says senator.

WASHINGTON. Jan. - ror the
'irst tim" IN the two weeks the shin
bill has been under Il courluuou- Re.
publican attack IN the ,cunDr the
administrations defense of tine mcu,
lrr was brought forward iu ,prcnh
.Dday 10y Srunlur Walsh who replied
70 Senator Roofs contention thn It's
enactment would lead the United
states into foreign complications
citing rules Of the British admin.
atty the declaration uf London dee.
rlslOns Of the privy council the init
ed States supreme court and state
papers of II century. Senator Walsh
declared the right " the United
states 10 purchase ships Of the bel
.igercnts was nuqucstiuucd 80 long as
The transactions were In absolute
.g,ol faith that Grrnt Britain had
maintained the same right for more
than lD years and that France for
the same length " time had nruuirSc
cd In the principle.
He declared that had Senntor
Roots argument been advanced hy AN
other II would have been accounted
impossible The Democratic senator
quoted nj length laws " courts and
nations TO support his view.
Assuming the transfer " the Dncln
tn h bonu fdp Senator Walsh said.
there Is abundant evidence she will
not be subject to seizure
The right of nrulrnls to purchase
ships " Il hshlgerenl after the com
mrnCcmeut Uf hOslilltics aud 10 invest
them with the security which attends
other craft lawfully flying the ncu-
tai flag has been maintained stout
ly lay both Great Britain and the
United States for more than Il hundred
'yuars.' the senator declared. "Ernnce
never formally hHs accepted this doc.
trinc. Int she has acqulcsced In II To
such mn eNtcnt II hHS acquired such
general recognition among publlclsts
NJ the world. that II Is unbelievable
she would attempt tu disregard II and
appeal, ~ she must tu the judgment OF
the untinne ~ the earth among whom
he would stand practically alone.
"As FOR Great BrltHln. she stands
committed To the view Indicated VI
firmly TINT no honorable avenue Of
escape Is ulsn even though 1t could
lr conceived That she might desire
tu see II overturned Her Judges as.
serted and enforced the rule through
ont the trying times ~ the Napoleonic
wars when the Frry existence of the
nntion was ~ stake
Senator Walsh read II paragraph of
u manual issued In iSSS by the British
admiralty to show thnt the British
rule had been nv follows.
| "A vessel apparently owned hy a
neutral Is really not 20 owned n ac-
mlred by Il transfer from an enemy.
~ from a British or allied suhiec
mnde NJ amy time during the war or
previous to the war but In contemnln
Hon NJ It's breaking out, unless there
IS satisfactory proof that the transfer
Was bona fldc and complete"
Instructions 10 Officers IN dptermin
lng that such sales were bnnn fldc.
Senator Walsh declared, showed clear
ly that only the complete legality nm.
der the laws Of the respective countries
NJ the transfer was to he established.
The principle upon which this doe.
irne rests N sublmely simple" he
said. 1T Is that neutral nations may
trade with either helllgerents cNcpnt
In c0nlNhNnd. The neutral may huy
ANYTHING from belligerent"
senator Walsh quoted from an
nnllion hy the lords Of the prlvy com
ell In the ease NJ the Bnltlcn as fol.
lows,
The general rule Is open 10 no
doubt A neutral while war Is I'm
mlnent, or after Il has commenced. IL
NJ liberty to purchase either goods or
ships, not being ships Of war. from
either belllgerent and the purchase II
valid whether the subject Of II he
laying In neutral port or In an enc
nys port
senator Walsh explained that the
Raltica was one of number Of ships
Involved during the Crlmean war
when although the circumstances at.
tending the sale naturally cast sus.
plcion upon II, the bona flde charnc.
ter OF the transaction was established
t. the satisfaction of the English
courts Notwithstanding that the ven.
lor frankly admitted he parted with
tie vessels because Of conditions sure
to arise ON the breaking ont of the
war