The Arvada enterprise., 1916-03-02
YIELD NO RIGHTS
HONOR is At STAKE, PReSlOeN
WILSON WRITES TO SEN
ATOR STONE.
Hold Germany to Promises for
Safety Of Americans on
the High Seas.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

| Thursday night, in a letter 10 Senator
Stone explicitly declared that he WI
not consent to barring OF American
| citizens from armed passenger ship
as proposed by resolutions bctoi'
| Congress and that ii any nation dc
nics the right OF Americans TO saiet
on board such vessels the Unite
Estates has in honor no choice as u
what its course should be.
The course which the central pow.
ers are pursuing in their order to
sink without warning after March |
all armed ships seems for the mo,
ment to threaten masquerade obsta.
cles," the President wrote. but adde
that, because OF previous assurances,
lie must believe explanations putting
a different aspect ON the situation
soon will be made.
White House, Feb II, l9lG.-My
Dear Senator: ! very warmly appre'
ciate your kind and frank letter OF
today and feel that il calls for an
equally frank reply. NOu are right in
assuming that shall do everything in
my power to keep the United States
out OF war. ! think the country will
feel NJ uneasiness about my course in
that respect Through many anxious
months have striven Tor that object
amidst difficulties more manifold than
can have been apparent upon the sur
face, and SO far have succeeded.
do not doubt that ! shall continue to
succeed.
The course which the central Eu
ropean powers have announced theiI
intention OF following in the future
with regard to under-sea warfare
seems for the moment TO threaten in
superable obstacles, but its apparent
meaning is so manifestly inconsistent
with explicit assurances recently Civ
en- us by those powers with regard tC
their treatment OF merchant vessels
on the hiSn seas that | must believe
that explanations will presently en-
sue which will put different aspect
upon it, We have had no reason &c
question their good faith or their fl
deity to their promises in the past
and |, 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 tC
alter or disregard the principles which
all nations have agreed upon in miti
CATION of the horrors and sufferings
of war; and if the clear rights OF
,, American citizens should ever un
happily be abridged or denied by any
such action, We should. it seems tC
me, have in honor no choice as tC
what our own course should be. Fol-
my own part. | cannot consent TO any
abridscmcnt of the rights of Amcri
can citizens in any respect The hon
or and scli-rospect of the nation is
involved. We covct peace and shal
preserve it at any cost, but the loss
of honor. To forbid our people tc
exercise their rights for fear ".
might be called upon to vindicat.
them would be a deep humiliation in
deed.
II would be an implicit. all but n
explicit, @cPuicSCCDce in the violation
of the rights of mankind cycrywher'
and OF whatever nation or allegiance
II would he a deliberate abdication @
our hitherto proud position AZ spokos
men even amid the turmoil of war frI
the law and the right II would MAX.
everything this government has a'
tempted and everything that II ha'
achieved during this terrible struggle
OF nations meaningless and futile.
1t is important to reflect tina, II II
this instance We allowed oNpcdicncl
to take the place OF principle. III,
door would inevitably be opened it
still further concessions. Once acc'p
= single abatement Of right and NAM
other humiliations would certainly fol
low and the whole fine fabric Of inter
| national law might crumhlc under oul
hands, piece ny piece. What We ar.
cout"ndinF for In this matter is O
the very essence oI the things tna
have mad" America a sovereign "a
| ton. Sh" cannot Yield them withuu'
| conc, ding her own impoionCy as
nation and making virtual surrender
oi her independent position amOrr IN,
nations % the world.
II am speaking. my dear scnutoT II
dep Ho'rmrity without heat, with 9
clear rUuN,iGusn,a, o, the bigh re
spousibilii,"s OF my offic", and ar
| your SINGER" and devoted friend J.
We should mhappily differ wo HiUi
differ us friends. bu' wh"r" issue e
| mom,utous rs these Hrn Involved s.
must. Just because NC are frio0 a
speak our minda without reservation
! Faithfully yours.
WOODROW WILSON"
The President letter WIS In m
svcr 80 ono written late Thursday AT
crnoon by senator Ston" outlining lh'
situation existing ut the capItCl
where for two days. persistent DE-.
| mnndB had been mad" Tor some action
which might lessen the possibility oi
war between the United states and
C,Tmpny