New Britain herald., 1916-01-06

ment was misled by false affidavit.
 No Ship Safe. Senator Nelson of Minnesota re- marked that travel on a neutral ship did not insure safety, for "as many neutral ships as belligcrents have been blown up. No ship is safe. One neu- tral ship was torpedoed within Sweden's three mile limit. Even the Ford peace ship might have been torpedoed.'
 Senator Borah suggested that Eff the Persia was unarmed persons on board had as much right to consider themselves protected by international law as if they were on a neutral ship
 But everything that happens, re- piled Senator Jones, "shows that they are not safe. Every American going on one of these ships knows the dan ger he runs not only for himself, but of compromising the country. It is not very considerate to say the least"
 Senator Works of California, repub lican, recalled the case of a promi- nent citizen of his state who was lost by the sinking of the Lusitania.
 Sailed Despite Warnings.
 "He received both the public and private warnings against taking the trip, but he went'' said Senator Works. "The officers of our govern ment knew that the ship was loaded to the gunards with munitions for one of the belligerents In not warn ing it's citizens from such a ship this government was morally responsible for their deaths. It did not go into the ensuing discussions with clean bo Ira el on these ships''
 Senator Poindexter of Washington, progressive, suggested that the sena- tor from California had made "a grave charge against our govern ment''
 Gan he state by what auth Ority this government could have prevent ed travellers from sailing on these ships?' asked MT. Poindexter
 "Only advice would have been need ed.'' replied Mr. Works.
 Robinson Aids Pcindexter.
 At this point Senator Robinson of Arkansas, democratic, came to the re- lief of Senator Poindexter.
 "But would not such advice have implied that the right of neutrals to travel on these ships did not exist?' Queried MT. Poindexter T concede that our citizens should be careful how they travel, but at the same time the government should hesitate to waive their rights by implication.''
 Senator O'Gorman, who had been following the colloquy closely, inter- posed here:
 Under expressed treaties our citi- zens have the right to travel and re- C1 in hn tnr think those rights were prejudiced when the Government warned Amer jeans to leave that country? Great Britain a few years ago, without con- ceding the right advised British sub- jects to keep off ships liable to at tack"
 A Moral Obligation.
 Senator Works in reply to sugges- tions that had gone before added:
 ''The right to travel by belligerent ships may be conceded as lawful, but surely there is a moral obligation on the Government and our citizens to avoid being drawn into this war will go further back than that. At the very beginning of the war I op- posed the shipment of arms to bel ligerents, particularly after Great Britain blockaded the ports of Ger many.
 'If at that time we had said to Great Britain: If you blockade the ports of Germany against our trade We will allow no more arms to go to you we might have brought England to terms. We have become prac- tically parties to this war by shipping arms to one side only. We are not neutral but we are hypocritical say ing We are neutral''
 Reed Answers Weeks
 Senator Reed of Missouri combat 1 ted Senator Works suggestion that because the United States permitted | the export. of arms to Great Britain the Government violated neutrality Doesn't the Senator from California 1 know" interposed MT. Reed, that the l first act of the kind of this country ! after the outbreak of the war was 1 the floating here of a loan of $25,- 900, ,000 to Germany without protest | from the Senator or from anybody else? ]
 "Germany got arms here just as long as she was allowed to transport l them. We have treated all alike | and our markets have been open to all In the light of his how can the Senator say we have not been neu- tra1 ?"
 Germans Can't Reach Us.
 But it has been impossible for one side to reach our markets" replied Senator Works.
 '"The Senator as a fair man." re- piled Mr. Reed twill admit that this arose from nothing done by our Government, but from the fact that one of the belligerents overcame it's enemy on the sea.
 Should Stop Sales.