The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-03-01

washington. Feb. 2l.-President
wilson. at the end of two days of asi-
tAsion In congress for action warning
Americans on armed merchant ves-
ssl2 wrote letter tonight to Senator
Stone. chairman Of the senate foreign
relations committee. stating that nc
could not consent 10 the abridgment
Of the rights Of American citizens in
any respect.
'-rhs honor and ssif-respect Of the
nation II involved" he said. "we
'coves peace ana shall preserve 1t ut
any cost but the loss of honor"
II The president ,sxprsssed hope that
expJanation Of the declared intention
Of he central powers to sink armed
4 nerehAnt ships without warning
; woeld put . different aspsct on . Sit
uatlon which now seemed to present
insnpsrabls ohstacles I'VE have
Gi.aA no reason to question their good
Saith or their adslitv 70 thtir promises
IN Ne past" he added. ''and for one
fen sonnAsnt that We shall have none
u the future"
Ths letter was In answsr 20 one
written hate this afternoon by senator
! oedNp outlining the situation existing
- - capitol. vhsrt since yesterday
~ r1ns 'psrsis,Sns dsm,aa. has sbssi
0qNs fer sans actlea witch misht
~ y W. I'll y! I - s>ysgh,
as's ~ - II VII 50 rScsx321
(eth65sow Mosaing - spsansr CIark.
1>prsssntstivs Kitchin. majority
ob4dsr. kand Representative Flood.
chairman Of the house foreign affairs
eonnittas. who late today asked for
An snsxssmsnt in order to explain
ttc position In which the house finds
'esslf and asked the president for q
secssmsnt Of the administrations
ylcws. & ~ ~,
kThs sstter follows: M,
ny Dear Senator: n
M very warmly appreciate your
findI and frank letter OF today ana fes!
net; u calls for an equally frank
rtSh.
SyHou are right In assuming that
enAn ds everything in my power to
hsep the United States out of war. I
think the country will feel no un-
Sastness about my course In that rc.
spsct. Through many anxious months
I,have striven for that object. amidst
dmuclties more manifold than, can
nave been apparent upon the surface:
and 10 far have succeeded. I do not
doubt that shall continue to succeed.
The course which the central Euro
pean powers have announced their in
tsntion Of Following In the future with
rsgard to undersea warfare seems for
the moment TO threaten insuperable
obstacles. but It's apparent meaning
- 90 manifestly Inconsistent with ex-
plicit assurances recently given by
those powers with regards to their
treatment OF merchant vessels on the
high seas that must believe that ex-
piaiaations will presently ensue which
VIZ put different aspect upon II. We
haze no reason to question their good
faith or their fidelity to their prom
ses In the past. and. I for one, feel
ccnhdent that we shall have none in
shs future.
'But In any event our duty Is clear.
No nation. no group OF nations, has
the right while war is In progress to
alter or disregard the principles which
all nations have agreed upon In miti
cation Of the horrors and sufferings Of
war; and IL the clear rights of Ameri-
can citizens should ever uphappily be
abridged or denied by any such ac-
ton. we should. II seems TO me. have
in honor no choice as to what our own
course should be.
For my own part. can not con-
sent to any abridsment Of the rights
OF Americao citizens In any respect
The honor and self-respect of the m
ton Is involved. We covet peace and
shall preserve II ut any cost but tho
loss of honor. To forbid our people To
exercise their lights for fear we might
be called upon to vindicate them
would be deep humiliation. indeed.
II would be an implicit. all but ex-
piicit. acquiescence In the violation of
the rights Of mankind everywhere and
Of whatever nation or allegiance. It