New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-25
President Ends All
Wavering Over
Armed Ships.
HOLDS FAITH
IN GERMANY
Will Preserve Peace at
Any Cost but Loss
of Honor.
From The Tribune Bureau

Washington, Feb. 24.-President
Wilson put an end TO any waverirg
on the question Of protecting the
rights of Americans 10 travel On
armed merchantmen tonight in A
strong letter to Senator Stone, chair
man of the Foreign Relations
Committee. He declared positively
that he would not consent 10 any
abridgment of the rights Of Ameri-
citizens in any respect
"If we allowed expediency to take
the place of principle" wrote the
President. "the door would newt
ably be opened to still further con
cessions. Once accept a single
abatement Of right and many other
humiliations would certainly follow.
and the whole fine fabric Of interna-
tional law might crumblc under our
hands piece by piece.
"The honor and self-respect of I. q
nation is involved" he said I've
covet peace, and shall preserve it al
any cost but the loss Of honor"
The President expressed hope that
explanations Of the declared inten-
tions Of the Central European
, powers to sink all armed merchant
ships without warning would put
different aspect on a situation which
now seemed to present insuperable
obstacles.
No Reason 10 Question Faith.
"Wc have had n oreason to ques-
ton their good faith or their fidelity
to their promises in the past" Re
added 'and for one feel CON
fident that we shall have none IN
the future"
The letter was in answer to enc
written late this afternoon by Sena.
tor Stone, outlining the situation
existing at the Capitol, where since
/ yesterday morning persistent do
mands had been made for some ac-
tion which might lessen the posi-
blity of war between the United
States and Germany.
The Presidents statement will be
repeated tomorrow morning to
Speaker Clark, Representative Kit
chin, majority leader, and Repre-
sentative Flood, chairman of tho
House Foreign Affairs Committee,
who late to-day asked for an en-
gagement in order to explain the
position in which the House found
itself and ask the President for a
statement Of the Administration
| views.
The President wrote his letter during
the afternoon, shutting himself up in
| his study while Congressional leaders
vainly attempted TO get him on tho
/ telephone to tell him Of Developments
at the Capitol, and TO arrange for the
call of the House leaders He began
to write after telephone conferences
with CaLinet members, and other close
advisers. His decision was 20 end all
speculation over what the Osition ~
the government was, and TO let Con-
gress and the country know that tho
Administration believed the United
States could do nothing but stand be-
hind the right of its citizens TO the
freedom OF the seas.
Situation Still Unchanged.
Az the State Department TO- day il
was stated that in its international as
poets the situation had not changed in
the slightest degree for three or four
days Officials said nothing had been
heard from Germany in response TO
the request Of the United States for as
surances that previous pledges given
IN the Lusitania and Arabic negotia-
tions would not be nullifed by the new
campaign against armed ships. Count
ven Bernstorff, the German Ambassa-
dor, through whom the request was
made, also was said to be without in
formation as to when response would
be forthcoming.
Confidential advices from Berlin
however. have indicated that Germany
would reply that all assurances pre-
viously given would be observed, bu.
that they applied only 10 unarmed YES
sells. and would propose discussion of
what defensive armament properly may
be. How far such proposal would 20
toward altering the situation is said
20 depend largely upon additional in.
formation as to how armed British
l merchantmen sEe said to have warred