The Washington times., 1916-01-28
AN EMBARGO ON MUNITIONS

There will be no embargo on
shipments of munitions of war, be-
cause if such measure should pass
President Wilson would veto it. The
President has not said he would do
so; but his general attitude of de-
termination to maintain the neu-
trality of this country justifies the
confident prediction that executive
prerogative would be interposed
against such a violation of that
policy.
Yesterdays discussion in the Sem
ate developed a sentiment-and a
sentimentality-which suggests the
grave danger that such a measure
might meet with Congressional ia
vor. From any point of view it
would be a calamityto the nation. If
it should become law, it would COM
NIT the country to a highly un-
neutral attitude, at variance with
our policy in past times when we
have as neutral sold such supplies,
and as belligerent bought them.
Moreover it would compel US for the
future to rely upon our own capacity
to produce necessaries of war if
ever we should need them. We have
never possessed capacity equal to
our needs in war time. The spec
tacle of the present war teaches
that it is well-nigh impossible that
any nation can develop such a ca
pacity, short of converting itself
into a very arsenal. That would
mean sacrificing everything else to
militaristic ideals.
Looking at the matter first from
the merely industrial and economic
viewpoint, it must be plain that in
such time as the present there is
absolute necessity for preparedness
in this regard. The President said
yesterday with all solemnity that he
could not promise that our world po-
sition would be as satisfactory to-
morrow as it is today. Now, how
shall we prepare ourselves? We
might build factories all over the
land and make and store vast guam
titles of munitions, against the day
of a struggle that may not come; or
that, coming, may bring with it new
methods and materials so entirely
changed as to drive our great estab-
lishments to the junk heap.
Germany has shown how a nation
may build an industry of this kind
at least economic cost. She made
herself the worlds munitions head
quarters; selling them wherever
they were in demand, putting the
business on a business basis, and
making it possible to equip her own
forces with what might be called
the by-products of the industry.
The war has brought opportunity
to equip this country with facilities
of exactly this kind; to pay for
plants and organizations from the
proceeds of an industry that in the
past we have never regarded as any
thing but legitimate. To drive pri-
vate capital out of this business
would be to cast the huge burden of
potential preparedness, in this in
dustrial department, upon the Gov
ernment. 1t is unbelievable that the
Government would or could provide
itself with the huge capacity that a
war of twentieth century proper
tions would require.
Turn now to the international as
poets of the matter. To embargo
munitions would be to render a great
service to Germany, which she is
not entitled to expect from us be-
cause her own policy has always
been to sell munitions to every
buyer. 1t would infict a CORE
spending injury on the allies, who
have relied for preparedness, not on
the upbuilding in peace times of
great munitions works, but upon the
presumption that they could buy in
the free markets of the world.
Thus the United States would take
step that would compel the non.
militaristic nations of the world to
! be in future more militaristic even