Philip weekly review and Bad River news. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 1912-1918, 1916-03-02
ARMED SHIP
POLICY ls MADE CLEAR IN
EPlsTLE ADDRESSED TO
SENATOR STONE.
HONOR AND SELF.RESPECT
OF NATION ARE INVOLVE
President Deolares he Cannot Consent
20 Any AbrId0msnt Of Rights Of
Citlxens Of United states In
any Rsspset-oays Amer.
lea Cannot Yield.

Washington. Feb. 26-President Will
sons determination to uphold tho
rights of Americans to travel on bel
ligerent ships 10 made clear in a let
ter addressed to Senator Stone, chair
man Of the Senate Committee on for.
eign relations.
President Wilson's Letter.
The Presidents letter to Senator
Stone follows:
my Dear Senator-I very warmly
appreciate -our kind and frank letter
of today and feel that it calls for an
equally frank reply.
"You are right in assuming that I
shall do everything in my power to
keep the United States out of war. I
think the country will feel no uneasi.
ness about my course in that respect.
Through many anxious months I
have striven for that object, amidst
difficulties more manifold than can
have been apparent upon the surface
and 30 far have succeeded. do not
doubt that shall continue to succeed.
The course which the Central Euro
psan powers have announced their in.
tention Of following In the future
with regard to undersea warfare seems
for the moment to threaten insuper.
able obstacles. but it, apparent mean.
ing 10 % manifestly inconsistent with
explicit assurances recently given 10
by those powers with regard to their
treatment Of merchant vessels on the
high seas tLat must believe that ex.
plantations will presently ensue which
will put different aspect upon It. We
have had no reason TO question their
good faith or their fidelity to their
promises In the past and l for one feel
confident We shall have none In the
future.
"our Duty 10 Clear"
But In any event our duty IL clear.
No nation or group Of nations has the
right while the war 10 In progress, to
alter or disregard the principles which
oil nations have agreed upon in miti.
cation Of the horrors and suiforings
Of war and II the clear rights of Amer.
ican citizens should ever unhappily bs
abridged or denied by any suc4 &C.
ton. We should, It seems to me, to
have In honor, NO choice % to what
our own course should be.
FOR my own part, I can not con.
sent to any abridgement of the rights
OF American citizens In any respect.
The honor and self-rsspect Of the na.
tio0 10 involved. We covet peace, and
shall preserve 1t at any cost, but the
loss Of honor.
ITO forbid our people to exercise
their rights for fear we might be
called upon to vindicate them would
be deep humiliation indeed. 1t would
be an implicit. all but explicit, acquies.
cence In the violation Of the rights OF
mankind everywhere and of whatever
nation or allegiance.
Would Make Efforts Futile.
1T would De q deliberate abdica.
ton Of our hitherto proud position as
spokesmen even amidst the turmoil of
war for the law and the right. II
would make everything this govern.
meut has attempted and everything
that It has achieved during this terri
BILE struggle Of nations meaningless
and futile.
1T IL important to reflect that II
In this instance We allowed expedi-
encs to take the place Of principle,
the door would inevitably be opened
TO still further concessions. Once ac-
cept single abatement Of right and
many other humiliations would cor.
tainly follow and the whole fine fabric
Of international law might crumble
under our hands. piece by piece.
America Cannot Nleld.
''What ~ ars contsading for In this
matter y Of the very essence Of the
things that have made America Z
sovereign nation. She can not yield
them without conceding her own impo-
tency - nation and making virtual
surrsa6eF of her independent position
a1on0 Tia ua1ioao ol the world.
~raithfully yours,
WOODROW WILSON,
Delo1an oardlMal oasseo Rese,
n Roono svia rarls, ~. g. Card
Aal Mase1se ~ IN Aems for Del-
gium. 90