The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1916-05-22

CRISIS CAUSED BY
WILSON'S vACILLATI0N
United Republican PaHy Meet.
Cd to Restore Self. Respect
and Honor to .. 8.

| WSo0 UsVuVU ~ - -
Portland. ORA review q tAe -
constituencies OF the present De0e'
cratic Administration. particularly u
its dealings with the bellissrsat Dow.
ere OF Europe and with Mexico. vas
presented BY Theodore =. Durto1s
Ohio's candidate for The RsDublieAA
nomination for the Prssidsncy.
Mr.. Burton. who b sx.Unitsd States
Senator from Ohio. spoke under Tie
auspices OF the Oregon Republican
Club. His address was essentially
political In its nature. but In view q
/ the present difficulties confronting Tie
! Nation II was touched throughout with
! . highly patriotic tone
The audience manifested IL unsaut
vocal approval by . tremendous eve
tion when he said:
"At times like this ws are not Re-
publicans nor Democrats. Socialists OF
Prohibitionists. ws are American oiti-
sens."
But Senator Burton WAS emphatic II
his declaration that the very presence
Of these international compilations
calls for firmness and experience u
handling the affairs Of the Nation.
Under such conditions ana under
such circumstances. he asssrtsd. the
, thoughts OF the people iAstinctvsly
turn to the Republican party-ths
party Of experience. the party of sapa.
bility. the party Of accomplishment
"The one fact more obvious than
any other In all the conflicting current
Of events" he said. lis that the pres
ent ignoble status Of the United States
, In relation to other countries has BEEN
brought about by the halting. the W.
cillation and the hesitancy Of the pres.
ent Administration"
He then took up In detail discus
sion OF the present Administrator d
conduct OF international affAirs. cay.
ing:
"Now the President makes the most
extravagant speeches for prepared
ness; he says we must have the larg.
est Navy in the world: he says that no
man can tell what . day or an hour
may bring forth. II was surely just -
obvious when the first gun was fired
In Europe that the United States must
be ready to protect itself a. II 10 to-
day. There IL such . thing - being
too late to prepare. but when danger
threatens there ID NO such thing - b.
Ing too early. Yet the Administration
has been on both sides Of this question
with equal extravaganza Of assertion,
with equal impatience OF all who diar
agree and with equal inability there
fore to convince anyone Of lts entire
sincerity.
And what 10 II all about! Here
! again the whole difficulty arose from
the exercise OF those two conspicuous
talents OF the present Administration.
the passion for interference In the af.
fairs Of other nations and the inability
20 keep away from both sides of the
same question.
"On February 10. 1915. the Adninis-
tration warned the German govern.
0ent OF the consequences Of carrying
out the policy foreshadowed In IT. I'd.
0iralty proclamation In case Il should
result In destroying any merchant ves.
eel OF the United States or In causing
the death OF American oitisens. and
F, threatened 70 hold the German gov.
eminent to . strict accountability for
any such act.
"A note from the Secretary Of State
on May Is. last, limited the rule that
/ lives OF noncombatants OF neutral or
other states should not be put in jeo-
/ pardy to such - sailed on unaI0od
merchantmen.
THE word 'unarmed' 10 Important
But. departing from these earlier dec.
larations, In the latter part OF January,
1915. the State Department. In . note
to the various powers sought 70 induce
the allies TO disarm their merchant.
| men and placed especial stress On The
Disadvantages Of submarines In con-
Eict with armed merchantmen. saying
In substance II would not b fair that
the submarines should b compelled
70 expose themselves TO destruction
from such vessels and that merchant
men should not b permitted TO carry
armament at ell. stating further that
the United States Government Was
seriously considering the announce
ment Of its purpose to treat msr.
chant vessel carrying guns - an aux.
iliary cruiser because Of the changed
conditions In maritime warfare result.
ing from the introduction Of the sub.
marine and its defenseless character.
AFTER the publication OF this note
Germany and Austria. Hungary on or
about February 10 very promptly sn.
nounced that on and after March !
they would regard all merchantmeo
carrying armament - warships sn1
would exercise the right to destroy
them without warning.
What did the President do thsnf
u@
would involve the loss of American cit
right to travel on merchantmen armed
for defense
Thus we attempted 70 persuade
England and France to give up right
which they claimed under information
nj law hut would Il0f ask American