The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-25

ican citizens should ever unhappily be abridged or denied by any such action, we Should it seems to me, have in honor no choice as to what our own course should be-
 For my own part, cannot consent to any abridgment of the rights of American citizens in any respect. The honor and self-respect of the nation is involved We covet peace and shall preserve it at any cost but the loss of honor. To forbid our people to exer- l else their rights for fear we might be called upon to vindicate them would be deep humiliation indeed It would be an implicit. all but explicit ac- i quieseence in the violation of the rights of mankind everywhere and of what 1 ever nation or allegiance. It would 1 be deliberate abdication of our hithA erto proud position as spokesmen even amidst the turmoil of war for the law and the right. 1t would make every. 1 thing this government has attempted and everything that it has achieved during this terrible struggle of na- tions meaningless and futile
 FURTHER CONCESSIONS
 Tt is important to reflect that if lit this instapce we Allowed e& &r6aie1ey to take the place of principle the door l would inevitably be opened to still I further concessions, Once accept a single abatement of right and many other humiliations would certainly fol- i low, and the whole fine fabric of in- ternational law might crumble under our hands piece by piece. What we are contending for in this matter is of the very essence of the things that have made America a sovereign na- 1 tion. She cannot yield them without conceding her own impotency as a nation and making virtual surrender of her independent position among the nations of the world.
 "T am speaking, my dear senator, in deep solemnity, without heat, with a clear consciousness of the high re- responsibilities of my office, and as your | sincere and devoted friend If we should unhappily differ we shall differ as friends, but where issues so momen- ! tous as these are involved we must, just because we are friends, speak our minds without reservation. Faithfully yours. WOODROW WILSON"
 The President wrote his letter dur 1 ing the afternoon, shutting himself up in his study while congressional lead CTS vainly attempted to get him or the telephone to tell him of develop ments at the capitol and to arrange 1 for the call of the House leaders. He began to write after telephone con l ferences with cabinet members and other close advisers. His decision was | to end all speculation over what the position of the government was and to let Congress and the country know l that the administration believed the United States could do nothing but stand behind the right of it's citizens to the freedom of the seas.
 SITUATION UNCHANGED
 At the state department today it was stated that in it's international aspects the situation had not changed in the slightest degree for three or four days. Officials said nothing had been heard l from Germany in response to the re- quest of the United States for assur- ances that previous pledges given In the Lusitania and Arabic negotiations would not be nullified by the new campaign against armed ships. Count l Won Bernstorff. the German ambassa- dor. through whom the request was made, also was said to be without in formation as to when a response would be forthcoming.
 Confidential advices from Berlin, however, have indicated that Germany would reply that all assurances pre- viously given would be observed, but that they applied only to unarmed ves- sels, and would propose discussion of what defensive armament properly may be. How far such a proposal would go toward altering the situa- tion is said to depend largely upon additional information as to how armed British merchantmen are said to have warred on German sumbersibles. which now is on the way to Washington by mail
 Administration officials reiterated today the declaration that the United States never had departed since the bVSiiiHiHS ol thc SupHudI1He conlrO- versy from it's firm stand for the ob- servance of international law And they pointed out that throughout his- tory the right of a merchantmen to carry limited armament solely for de- fense never had been questioned. \ Today's developments in Congress |, showed the administration leaders holding their lines against any such action as the President opposes. cam 
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