Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-05-25
EMBARGO ON ARMS AND
AIUNIpION.

end prove IT'S neutrality by declaring
an embargo on the shipment OF arms
and munition Of war to anyone OF the
belligerent countries in Europe. But
there are others who have not lost
hope of accomplishing the right
thing. Congressman VIM. j. Cary
from Wisconsin is one OF these hope
ful true Americans. Speaking on the
Embargo Resolutions introduced by
him in the House of Representatives
on December 6, 1915, Mr. Cary said
on Tuesday, May 9. 1916:
AS a matter of fact every big ma
tion in Europe has been preparing
for this death graDple for quarter
OF century. They have not pre-
pared in the same manner nor have
they taken the same steps. but, to
state the matter plainly and square
ly. while Germany has admittedly
been keeping her army keyed up to
the highest stage of perfection, Rus
sia and France have both been doing
the same thing, and while England
did not make any very great prepara-
tions as far as her army was con-
cerned she has i'm all OF these years
been consistently developing her
navy with the one purpose of being
able to keep absolute control Of the
seas and protect her country from
INVASION 1t is not our business nor
is it for us to decide as to which of
these two methods of preparation is
tho best or worst We are not called
upon nor is it our province to decide
as to whether a battle fought on
water is more legitimate than a bat
tie fought on land; but when we con-
denim one nation for preparing its
land forces and entirely overlook the
fact that another nation carefully
prepared its sea forces, we are guilty
Of what, to my mind. is downright
sheer hypocrisy. 1t is admitted, even
by the most violent opponents of an
embargo on arms and ammunition,
that IL would be entirely wrong for
us to fit out and equip q ship of war
to sail from one OF our ports and join
either belligerent, but the same peo-
pie who admit that this is wrong,
knowing full well probably that this
Is the one thing that the allied coun-
tries do not need, find It perfectly
correct to ship all the rccessaries to
arm. equip, and sustain a formidable
land battery. IL is not the fault of
tho United States that England was
not farseeing enough to prepare her
self for battles on land as well as on
sea. She had the resources, she had
the equipment, she had the trained
men and skilled mechanics to do the
same thing that Germany has done.
She did not do so and is now suffer-
ing the penalty, and we are called
upon TO help her out of a difficulty
which is none OF our concern what
socver I know since the war started
the Presidents proclamation of neu-
trality has been thrown to the four
winds Of heaven in this country. The
last sentence OF his proclamation,
which l quoted a few moments ago,
In reference to making loans has cer-
tainly been absolutely nullihed. The
English agents in this1country were
able publicly to float a large loan
here. not so large as they intended,
but sufficiently large TO make it come
well nnder the ban Of the Presidents
proclamation. Their agents were
welcomed all over this country, they
were wined and dined, and the very
men who protest against the embar-
go on arms as being unneutral to
England do not hesitate to indicate
that, as the Hon. Joseph III. Choate
said at public dinner, "the allies
could get anything they wanted in
this country" Lord Northcliife, the
famous English editor. stated In his
paper that the United States by send
ing England arms and ammunition
to carry on the war was in fact an
ally Of theirs. An embargo on arms
and ammunition would place us in a
position in which we could consist
emily say that we were absolutely
and fairly neutral to all belligerent
countries. and until such embargo is
placed we can neither hold nor main
tain our proper neutrality
Now, Just a few words as to one
reason the opponents Of this measure
give against an embargo. It is a
base reason and a reason that | do
not believe appeals to the great
masses of American people, and that
is, that it has brought about an era
OF prosperity and been the means OF
our country making lot OF money.
/ do not believe that American char
actor has so far deteriorated that we
can complacently look upon any
amount Of money, no matter how
large il is, that is made at the ex-
pense of human bloodshed and mis-
cry The gold that fills the coners
OF the millionaire ammunition MAX
ers is crimson with the blood Of
Europe's manhood. 1t is stained
with the tears of the widows and or
phans it has helped to make; 1t can
never bring any good fortune or good
luck to the men who make ii or to q
people who sacrifice their Feelings
for humanity to their lust for greed,
and, further, careful investigation
of this ammunitlon-madng prosper
ity will, / think, reveal that it is a
very lopsided and short-lived pros
perity. Into whose hands does the
plumber so? Is the farmer getting
his share OF it? Is the small mer-
chant getting his share of It? Is the
mechanic getting his share Of it2 /
think that it would not need very
much investigation to find that the
great mass of this ill-gotten gold
goes to those who need II least and