The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-03-01
WILSON DEMANDS
|. FULLEST FREEDOM
Of Travel For Citizens Of
United States.
HOPE FOR PEACE YET STRONG
President Refuses To Agree To
Abridgment Of American
Privileges.
LETTER TO STONE EXPLAINS


Wilson's letter to Senator Stone tina
he could not consent to any abridge
ment of the rights of American citi
zens in any respect follows:
February "a, 1916.
"My Dear Senator: ! very warm
ly appreciate your kind and franz
letter of to-day and feel that it call.
for an equally frank reply.
you are right in assuming that
shall do everything in my power &c
keep the United States out of war.
think the country will feel no I'M
easiness about my course in that re-
spect. Through many anxious
months ! have striven for that OBJ
fcct, midst difficulties more mani
fold than can have been apparent
upon the surface; and so far have
succeeded. / DO not doubt that
shall continue TO succeed. The
course which the Central European
Powers have announced their inten-
ton OF following in the future with
regard to undersea warfare seems
for the moment to threaten insuper-
able obstacles, but it's apparent
meaning Is so manifestly inconsist-
ent with explicit assurances recently
given us by those Powers with re-
gard to their treatment of merchant
vessels on the high seas, that / must
believe that explanations will pres
emily ensue which will put a differ
ent aspect upon it. We have had no
reason to question their good faith
or their fidelity to their promises in
the past. and |, for one, feel conf
dent that We shall have none in the
future.
But in any event our duty is
clear. No nation, no group of ma
tons, has the right while war is in
progress to alter or disregard the
principles which all nations have
agreed upon in mitigation Of the
horrors and sufferings of war; and
if the clear rights of American cit !
lzens should ever unhappily be
abridged or denied by any such ac- |
ton, we should, it seems TO me. have
in honor no choice as to what our
own course should be. /
For my own part, I cannot con-
sent to any abridgement of the /
rights of American citizens in anv
respect. The honor and self-respect
of the nation is involved. We coyet /
peace and shall preserve it at any
cost but the loss of honor. To for /
bid our people to exercise their !
rights for fear we might be called /
upon to vindicate them would be a |
deep humiliation indeed, 1t would |
be an implicit, all but an explicit, :
acquiescence in the violation of the
rights of mankind everywhere and !
of whatever nation or allegiance. II
would be q deliberate abdication 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 |
ment has attempted and everything
that 1t has achieved during this ter
rible struggle of nations meaningless |
and futile.
1t is important to reflect that If i
in this instance We allowed expe-
diency to take the place of principle,
the door would inevitably be opened !
to still further concessions. Once !
accept a single abatement of right,
many other humiliations would GER
tainly follow, and the whole fine fab |
ric of international law might crum-
bic 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
sovereign nation. She cannot yield
them without conceding her own i'm
potency as nation and making vir-
tual surrender of her Independent
position among the nations of the
world.
81 am speaking, my dear Senator,
IN deep solemnity, without heat,
with a clear consciousness OF the
high responsibilities of my Office.
and as your sincere and devoted
friend. II We should unhappily diff
fer, We shall differ as friends; bat
whore issues so momentous as these
are involved we must, just because
we are friends. speak our minds
without reservaticr
raithtI II yours.
"UnODE VIII cox