The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-03
PRESIDENT REFUTES
CHARGES
THAT HE SEEKS WAR
Senator Cores Remarks Durn Debate Arouse
Says He Heard President Thought Be
Thing for United States-OmciaI Denial From White
Immediately Forthcoming.

| yes
| terday Senator Gore of Oklah Onaa de-
! c1ared that he had introduced his
resolution to warn Americans not to
| travel on armed ships because he
was t'apprehensive that we were
speeding headlong upon war.
my action he went on, twas
based on a report which seemed to
come from the highest and most re-
! sponsible authority that certain SEN
/ atorS and certain members Of the
| House, in a conference with the Pres
| ident of tn eUnited States, received
from the President the Information,
| if not the declaration, that if Ger
| many insisted upon her position the
United States would insist upon her
position, and that it would result
probably in a breach of diplomatic
relations, and that a breach OF. diplo-
matte relations would probably be
followed by a state of war, and that
a, state of war might not be of itself
and of necessity an evil to this Re
public, but that the United States by
entering upon war now might be able
to bring it to a conclusion by mid
summer and thus render a, great ser
vice to civilization
President Quickly Denies the Report.
From the White House last night
came the following official denial:
When the attention of the White
House was called to certain state
ments in Senator Cores speech yester-
day afternoon the President authOriz-
ed an unqualified denial of any utter
ances to which any such meaning
could be attached.
When Senator Gore made his state
NJ tent he said he would be pleased to
accept a. denial by Mr.. Stone and Mr..
Kern of the truth of the rumor. These
two Senators recently conferred with
the President.
1.-The President never stated to me
or in my hearing that he believed in
any way or in any way entertained
the thought that war between the
United States and the central powers
would be desira BILE or would result in
good to the United States Senator
Stone said in reply.
|, Mr. Kern, who was ill, remarked
that ''the President has a passion for
peace but could not continue.
ST do not doubt that the American
owners of ships flying the flag of the
Allies would like to see the United
States police their vessels across the
high seas and protect them against
assault from any be11igerent power. I
have little doubt that the purchasers
and the owners of the $5O0,000,000 of
bonds recently issued by the Allies
would rejoice to see the United States
underwrite their investment and guar
antee the sovereignty and ultimate
success of their debtor. I have no
more sympathy with them than have
for the hyphenated American who in
the interests of Germany is disloya1
to his adopted land.
Whenever the honor. whenever the
vital interests of this republic are in
volved, whenever the essential rights
of an American citizen are invaded or
violated, every American sword will
leap from it's scabbard. That sacred
sentiment would not be trihed with. It
should not be made a toy zr a play
thing in the hands of any madcap
American citizen who may be dispos-
ed to venture his life upon the armed
ship of any be1liggerent power.
81 rather agree with the Senators
that in accordance with immemoriaI
international law neutral citizens have
a right to travel on armed beIligerent
ships. But I do assert it is a right
which is a survival of piracy and ought
to be withdrawn with the age that
gave it birth. The progress of civili-
zat:0n consists of the withdrawal of
IND vidual rights when they become
incompatible with the paramount in
terests of organized society.
sit is perhaps true that any one Of
the hundred million American citizens
has a right to travel on an armed
merchant ship. He has the right to
run the risk of losing his life and
engu1hng this republic in a sea of
carnage and blood. But I believe that
the hundred million citizens have a
right to be protected against his reck-
1essness. The right of one hundred
million to be protected from butchery
is not to be weighed in the balance
with the sacred and Inherited right to
imperH ones own life. I doubt if the
Senator from Massa chusetts would
consent that a child of his 1oins should
embark upon the armed vessel of a
be1ligerent power.
LET me put a case. Suppose that
a thousand American citizens embark
upon one Of these armed vessels. 1t
IS sunk by a German submarine. An
investigation shows that it was armed
for offensive purposes Germany had |
right to sink the ship and to sacrifice |
a thousand American souls. Would it |
not be Infinitely better for them !
would it not be infinitely better for
their surviving families, to have been
warned not to take the chance?''
Only Withdraws Protection
Mr. C1app of Minnesota, a radical
Republican, suggested that he under
stood Mr.. Cores resolution not to deny
right, but merely to warn against
it's exercise.
ST do not think there is any mis-
apprehension about it, 1nterposed Mr.
Lodge. '"The resolution of the SEN
ator from Oklahoma withdraws no |
right. 1t only says to Americans if |
they exercise the right we will with
draw the protection"
'"That is the point agreed Mr.. Gore. |
Mr.. Gore said that he could not see |
the difference in principle in withhold
ing a, passport under his resolution |
from Americans Intending to travel on |
armed ships and Withholding passports |
under the state departments announce |
ment of Oct 4, 1915, from persons |
<'who contemplate visiting bel1igerent |
countries merely for pleasure, recrea-
ton, touring, or Sightseeing Sena-
tor Oliver explained that in the one
instance the state department was ex-
ercising its proper function and in the |
other would improperly be changing |
law.