The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-25
WOODROW WILSON
CONTINUED From First Page.)

CONTINUED From First Page.)
-ison out of the cabinet II the Pres
dent denied him his support
Late tonight there was further wor
that the State Department is not {
be pressed for time in its new negc
tiauons with Germany. In answer
a question as to the cause of rebirt
Of optimism in administration circle
a high official of the State Depart
ment said:
TT is because the conviction he
spread everywhere that time Is a gres
factor for the cure of a
human ills"
President Writes Senator Stone.
The White House late tonight CAV
out the following letter which til
President today sent to Senator Wi
lam ]. Stone, his spokesman In tn
Senate:
The White House,
Washington, Feb. "a, 1919.
My Dear Senator:
/ very warmly appreciate your
kind and frank letter of today.
and feel that IL calls for an equal
ly frank reply.
You are right in assuming that
shall do everything in my power
to keep the United States out of
war. I think the country will feel
no uneasiIleSs about NV course i'm
that respect Through many
anxious months I have striven for
that object, amidst difficulties
more manifold than can have
been apparent upon the surface;
and so far I have succeeded.
do not doubt that shall continue
to succeed. The course which the
Central European powers have
announced their intention OF fol-
lowing i'm the future with regard
to underSeaa warfare seems for the
moment TO threaten insuperable
obstacles, but its apparent mean
ing Is go mamfestly inconsistent
with explicit assurances recently
given us by those powers with re-
gard to their treatment of mer-
chant vessels on the high seas that
/ must believe that explanations
will presently ensue which Will
put different aspect upon IL.
We have had no reason to ques-
ton their good faith or their
fidelity to their promises in the
past, and /, for one, feel confident
that we shall have none in the
future.
Our Duty Is Clear.
But in any event our duty Is
clear. No nation, no group of
nations, has tho right while war
is in progress to alter or disregard
tho principles which all nations
have agreed upon in mitigation
OF the horrors and sufferings of
war; and If the clear rights of
American citizens should ever un-
happily DO abridged or denied by
any such action, We should, 1t
seems to me, have in honor no
choice as to what our own course
should be.
For my own part. / cannot con-
rights of American citizens in any
respect The honor and seif-re-
spect of the nation IL involved.
We covet peace, and shall pre-
serve IL at any cost, but the loss OF
honor. To forbid our people to
exercise their rights for fear VIC
might be called upon to indicate
them would be a deep humiliation
indeed. 1t would be an implicit,
all but an explicit, acQuieScence In
tho violation of the rights of man
kind everywhere and of whatever
nation or allegiance. 1t would be
deliberate abdication OF our
hitherto proud position as spokes-
men even amidst the turmoil OF
war for the law and the right. 1t
would make everything this gov
ernment has attempted and every
thing that 1t has accomplished
during this terrible struggle of ma
tons meaningless and futile.
Expediency vs.. Principle.
IL Is important to reflect that IL
in this instance we allowed expo
diency TO take the place OF prin-
ciple the door would inevitably
be opened to still further cOnces-
sions. Once accept a single abate-
nent of right, and many other
hum1liations would certainly fol-
low, and the whole fine fabric OF
International law might rumbie
under our hands piece by piece.
What we are contending for in
this matter 10 of the very essence
of the things that have made
America a sovereign nation. She
cannot yield them without con-
ceding her own impotency as
nation and making virtual sur
render of her independent posi-
ton among the nations of the
world.
I am speaking, my dear sem
ator. In deep soiemnity, without
heat with "a clear consciousness
OF the high responsibilities OF my
Office. and as your sincere and
devoted friend. If we should I'M
happily differ, we shall differ AS
friends; but where issues 30 mo-
mentous as these are involved,
we must, just because we are
friends, speak our minds without
reservation.
Faithfully yours,