The Washington times., 1916-01-30
GERMANY AND MUNITIoN SALES


1t has been repeatedly alleged
that during the Spanish-American
war the United States requested the
German government not to sell mu-
nitions of war to Spain, and that
Germany acquiesced and made no
such sales. Apropos, a particular
case has been cited time and again,
to show how vigilant was the Ger
man government in preventing Ger
man arms and ammunition going to
| Spain.
This incident, as widely published,
was that the American ambassador
in Berlin, Andrew d. White, learned
that a Spanish ship was leaving
Hamburg with arms for Spain; that
he asked the German authorities to
prevent the shipment; and that they
did so. 4
This incident has been relied upon
to show that we ought to treat Ger
many as well as she treated u.s.
Very we'll; let US do so. Let it be
agreed that if Germany didn't sell
munitions to Spain, we shall not sell
them to the allies; but if Germany
did freely sell them to Spain, then
we shall freely sell them to the al
lies. Is that fair?
DR.. White takes the stand. He
says (in letter dated October 6,
1915, and just published) that the
incident as stated above never hap
pened. He asked the German gov
eminent to have the Spanish ship
searched to determine whether she
might be used as a commerce de-
stroyer against the United States.
1t she had been armed for that pur-
pose, and had been cleared from a
German port, Germany might have
been responsible just as England
was for letting Confederate COM
merce destroyers leave British ports
armed. So the German authorities
did search the vessel; reported that
she was not equipped as a commerce
destroyer; and then they released
her, and she sailed away to Spain
with the arms and ammunition!
Those are the facts in this par
ticular incident that has been so
much misrepresented, and lies about
which have misled so many innocent
people.
DR.. White, in the letter referred
to, goes farther. He settles once for
all the question whether Germany
sold arms to Spain. He says:
our agents at Hamburg in
formed me later that. during the en-
tire war, vessels freely carried am
munition from German ports Both to
Spain and to the United States, and
mat neither of the belligerents made
| any remonStrance.
Finally, it is possible officially to
decide whether the United States
asked Germany not to sell NUM-
tions to Spain; for Secretary Lam
sing recently wrote to a gentleman
who had asked him this question, as
follows:
The department has received YOUR
letter asking whether it is true that
during the Spanish war this Gov
ernment requested the government
of Germany not to sell ammunition
10 Spain. and that the government
: Germany 9rrp1pH tn
In reply to your inquiry I have to
say that no such request was made
, by the Government Of the United
states
Let the case be summarized. Ad,
vocates of an embargo have stated
that the United States asked Ger,
, many not to sell arms to Spain. The
, United States asked nothing of the
, kind.
Advocates of embargo have de-
, clared positively that Germany die
not sell munitions to Spain. But
Germany did sell munitions to Spain
E Now, if Germany's treatment OF
us during the Spanish war is to bt
our model of conduct in the present
war, our course is perfectly clear:
We must resent any protest from
Germany against our selling mum
I tions to the allies: because we mad,
= no protest against Germany sellins
e munitions to Spain.
5 We must sell munitions to an,
= belligerent wanting them: becaus,
y Germany sold alike to Spain anc
\ the United States.
f We must be as strictly neutral il
c the matter as Germany was. 81
E long as we go on selling munitions
, to whoever wants and can tax,
them, we will be precisely that neu
t tral.
S Incidenta!Iy, if German conduct i
f our model, we have a complete cas-
h against an embargo, now or at an,
:. other time Germany never dreame,
= of refusing to sell munitions to any
n body. 1t has been one of her fore
& moSt husinesSeS