The Washington herald., 1916-09-25
Were We Wrong in Selling Munitions?

According to Judson King, secretary of the
National Popular Government League, we are
losing moral influence over neutral coun-
tries-the Scandinavian countries in particular
by supplying munitions of war to the entente
allies. In doing so we probably had no par
ticular desire to help the allies of the entente or
to injure the Teutonic allies. We simply exer-
cised right under international law to sell
munitions of war to foreign customers, but IT so
happened that the entente allies through their
command of the sea were able to take advantage
of supply while the Teutonic allies could
do so, if at all, only to an extremely limited
extent.
Looking at the matter now, however, in the
light of all the circumstances connected with
the war, many will rejoice that we able
and willing to send the entente allies such
abundant supplies of warlike munitions as to
enable them to hold their own, at least to
escape overwhelming defeat, until they had time
to put themselves into a fairly good state of
preparation for continuing the struggle. 1t is
perfectly clear now that if Great Britain had
not been prepared with navy sufficiently pow
erful to keep command of the sea, and thus feel
strong enough to extend help to France in the
moment of her dire need the central powers
would easily have crushed both France and
Russia. With that accomplished, Italy would
her place as a member of the Triple Alliance.
Belgium would have been wiped off the map as
independent country, and the Channel coast
of France would have been occupied by Ger
many at least as far as Calais or Boulogne.
Under the supposed circumstances, Britain would
have had security against a German invasion
and would have become practically vassal state,
her outside possessions subject to such distribu-
ton as Germany might have been pleased to
make With Russia under one foot and the other
planted on the Chinese coast at Kiauchau the
German colossus would have bestrode the entire
Asiatic continent, and the millions of China
would have furnished inexhaustible reservoir
from which to replenish his armies A world
power in comparison with which the Roman
Empire dwindles into paltry insgnifcance might
thus have been created. In short Germany
would have dominated the world, and that under
a Kaiser who claims to rule by divine right.
Could we have foreseen at the beginning of the
war how indispensable it was to our own posi-
ton independent power that such an out
come of the war should be prevented at any
cost should probably have done with de-
iberate intention to aid the entente allies that
which we did merely by way of securing to our
citizens their business rights under international
law. Not only so, but had we thought that such
help could give in unprepared condi-
ton would have been sufficient to turn the
wavering scale, we might we'll have joined in
their alliance, and that with the cordial approval
of our German-American citizens if they really
care for the perpetuation of free government
upon the earth.
Small nations like those of Scandinavia
which have been used to owing their inde-
pendenee to the good will or mutual jeaousies Of
larger powers, can perhaps hardly be expected to
1OOly aFf oF viz, Eo-
own part, it is to be hoped that we shall
always be able to hold in our own right, and
through own might if necessary, a place of
full independence and equality among the fore
most nations of the earth. Such a position
however, we certainly should not have held If
Germany had succeeded in realizing her dream
of world empire.