The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-03-03
PRESIDENT IS FIRM
REGARDING Warning
he DECLARES THAT HE VII, m
AL IN HIS POWER TO KEEP
NATION OUT OF WAR.
LETTER TO CHA.RNlN stone
'nIef Executive Says If Single Abat.
"ent Is Accepted Humiliation VIII
r0'0 o" and Whole Fabric of In.
ternationaI Law Will CrumbIe.

"aSnington-PFesident Wilson .,
'"e emu OF two days Of AGITATION IN
congress for some action warn,no
americans from armed merchant shine
OF the European beIligerents Tbrro,
oay wrote Senator Stone, chairman ot
tne senate foreign relations commit.
tee' that he could not consent to INV
Arrangement Of the rights of American
cltizens in any respect.
The letter follows:
FEB. "a, 1916.-My Dear Senator.
very warmly appreciate your kind
ana frank letter of today and feel that
II calls for an equally frank reply.
You are right in assuming that I
snail do everything in nv mower r.
keep the United States out of war I
thlnk the country will feel no rnnoei.
DesS about my course in that rpspe,t
through many anxious months I have
s'riVeh for that object, amidst diff.
cuIlies more manifold than can have
Oeeh apparent upon the surface. and
SO Tar | have succeeded do mot
doubt that shall continue to succood
Inc course which the central Euro.
pean powers have announced their IN.
tentlon of following in the future with
regard to undersea warfare seems for
the moment to threaten insuDerabIe
OBSTACLES but its apparent meaniny is
80 manitestly inconsistent with ex.
puclt assurances recently given US by
those powers with regard to their
treatment of merchant vessels on the
hlgh seas that | must believe that OK.
plantations will presently ensue which
VIII 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 that we shall have
none In the future.
But, in any event, our duty Is clear
NO nation or group of nations has the
right while the war is in progress TO
alter or disregard the principles which
all nations have agreed upon in miti.
cation of the horrors and sufferings
or war; and If the clear rights of Amer.
lean citizens should ever unhappily be
abridged or denied by any such &C.
ton, We should, it seems to me. have
IN honor no choice as to what our own
course should be.
For my own part, | can not consent
10 any abridgement of the rights of
American citizens in any respect. The
honor and self.respeCt of the nation
s involved. We covet peace and shall
1t at any cost but the loss
II honor. To forbid our people to exer
Use their rights for fear we might be
'alled upon to vindicate them would
De a deep humiliation indeed It would
De an implicit, all hut explicit, &C.
Iuiescence in the violation of the
lights of mankind everywhere and of
whatever nation or allegiance. 1t
would be deliberate abdiCation of our
hitherto proul position as spokesman,
ven amid the turmoil of war, for the
aw and TIE right. 1t would make
this government has at.
empted and everything that it has
chieyed during this terrible struggle
I nations meaningless and futile.
1T Is important to reflect that If in
his instance We allowed expediency
take the place Of principle the door
'ould inevitably be opened to still fur
her concessions, Once accept a sin.
lie abatement Of right and many other
Limitations would certainly follow
nd the whole fine fabric OF interna.
onal law might crumble under our
ands piece by piece. What We are
for In this matter Is of
le very essence Of the things that
ave made America a sovereign ma
on. She can not yield them without
her own lmpotency as a ma.
on and making virtual surrender of
or Independent position among the
atoms of the world.
Il am speaking, my dear senator, In
eep solemnity, without heat, with
ear consciousness OF the high re-
,onsibllities of my office and as your
ncere ard devoted friend II we
lould unhappily differ, we shall diff.
r as friends; but where issues so
as these are involved we
ust, just because we are friends,
eak our minds without reservation.
lithfully yours,
HIVO0drow Wilson o