The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-03-09
SENATOR STONES POLICY LAwL Ess


Senator Stone, Germany and Austria say that merchant
ship armed for defense warshp and should be treated as
such International law and President Wilson say it is not
washp and is entitled to the mmunities of merchant ship
unless its armament should be used for oense That
question OF fact to be determined in each particular The
possibility that may be oense does not
justify attempt by the United States to change general
principle of international law in response threats of
set OF begerents whose operations hampered by that
principle
The law of the United States as embodied in the statutes
and in treaties and construed by the grants
chant ships the right for defense Section $3.50 of the
revised statutes provides:
Owners consignees of every armed vessel sailing out
OF ports of the United States belonging wholly part
to citizens thereof shall before clearing the same give
bond to the United States with sufficient surees double
the amount of the vessel and cargo board including
her armament conditioned that the vessel shall be
employed by such owners to cruise commit hostites
against the Subjects citizens property of any foreign
prince or state or of any colony, district people with
whom the United States at peace
The executive power of the government vested in the
president and he is required to uphold that as applying
to American ships until is repealed The judicial power
OF the has declared that foreign shps have the
same right under international law this grants to
American ships under statute The president is bound
by his oath to uphold the rights of Americans who travel
snip goods on foreign ships observing that law
Senator Stone and those congressman who think with him
propose to interfere with the president in performance of
TINS sworn duty While Mr. Wilson striving induce the
Ieuton empires to respect the rights question and while
ne is trying to convince them that the United States will
protect It's citizens the exercise rights and will
sist any Infringement upon Them the Stones Cores Kchn
Mcmores and others propose to notify the world that the
United States will not do that which Mr. Wilson trying to
convince the central empires we will do
Congress has authority repeal the section we have quoted
though by so doing would deprive Americans rights which
would still be retained under international law by other ma
tons Congress cannot change international law nor can Mr.
Wilson nor Germany Austria Congress has authority TO
forbid exercise by Americans of the rights guaranteed to
and women OF all nations by the law of nations and to deny
them the protection of the United States though by so doing
1T would place American citizens position inferior to that
occupied by citizens of other nations so long as the law
OF nations and the law of the United States stand as thew
are congress has authority obstruc maintenance of
American rights under those laws If congress ntereres with
the president in the performance of his duty encroaces ON
his executive power.
by dong as Mr. Stone and his associates propose
would proclaim to the world that the United States was i'm
potent or unwilling to protect its citizens in the exercise of
rights enjoyed by every other nation would endorse the
preposterous assumption of Germany that the petense Of
repsa one nation has right to set aside the law of all
uons Ii would deny all that the president has affirmed and
would endorse all that Germany has affirmed in the CORES
pondence regarding submarines Such action by congress
would partake OF the nature of When we consider
the fareachng and disastrous effects the American ma
on OF the course which Mr. Stone avor we are amazed that
any man calling himself American should favor tOre
gonian. - ~
The Boise New Freedom approvngly republishes New
York World editorial The Copperheads Of 1o6 IN b;a
&c nnrlap fo1 - IL