The Raymer enterprise., 1916-03-02
YIELD NO RIGHTS
HONOR IS At STAKE, PRESIDENT
WILSON WRITES TO SEN
AToR STONE. :.
Letter Announces that Executive ~ +
Hold Germany to Promises fdV
Safety Of Americans on
the High Seas.
" -stefn Nemspaper Union News Service.

Washington.-Pres Wilson on
Thursday night, in letter to Senator
Stone explicitly declared that he will
/ not consent to barring OF American
citizens from armed passenger ships
as proposed by resolutions before
Congress and that il any nation de-
MES the right of Americans to safety
on board such vessels the United
States has lin honor no choice" as to
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 "insuperabie obsta-
cles, the President wrote, but added
that, because OF previous assurances,
he must believe explanations putting
different aspect on the situation
soon will be made.
| White House, Feb. "a. l916.-My
Dear Senator: very warmly appre
\ ciate your kind and frank letter Of
to-day and feel that it calls for an
equally frank reply. You are right In
assuming that ! sl.all do everything in
my power to keep the United States
| out oil war ! think the country will
| feel NJ uneasiness about my course In
that respect, Through many anxious
months | have striven for that object
| amidst difficulties more manifold than
hfs
| lace, and so far | have succeeded.
| do not doubt that shall continue to
succeed.
The course which the central Eu
| ropean powers have announced their
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 to
their treatment of merchant vessels
on the high seas that | must believe
that explanations will presently en-.
sue which will put different aspect
| upon H. We have had no reason TO
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 to
alter or disregard the principles which
all nations have agreed upon in mitt
nj ha
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 to
me, have III honor no choice as to
| what our own course should be. For
my own part, | cannot consent to any
abridgement OF the rights of Ameri
can citizens in any respect. The hon
or and self-respect of the nation is
involved. We covet peace and shall
preserve IL at any cost, but the loss
OF honor. To forbid our people to
1 exercise their rights for fear we
might be called upon to vindicate
them would be a deep humiliation In
deed.
explicit. aequiescence In the violation
OF the rights of mankind everywhers
and OF whatever nation or allegiance
1t would be a deliberate abdication OF
our hitherto proud position as spokes
men even amid the turmoil of war ior
the law and the right. 1t would make
everything this government has at
tempted and everything that 1t haa
achieved during this terrible struggle
OF nations meaningless and futile.
1T is important to reflect that IL Il
this instance we allowed expediency
to take the place of principle, lhs
door would inevitably be opened Ia
still further concessions. Once accept
single abatement of right and many
other humiliations would certainly fol
low and the whole fine fabric of interA
national law might crumble under ouIf
hands, piece by piece. What we are
contending for in this matter is oi
the very essence OF the things that
have made America sovereign ma
ton She cannot yield them without
conceding her own impotency as 3
nation and making virtual surrender
of her independent position among the
nations OF the world.
Il am speaking. my dear senator, In
deep solemnity without heat, with q
clear consciousness of the high re-
sponsibiities of my office, and al
your sincere and devoted friend. 4
we should unhappily differ. we shah
differ as friends, but where issues a
momentous as these are involved We
must, just because we are frien Il,
speak our minds without reservati6A.
Faithfully yours.
WOODROW w.DspH :.
! The Presidents letter was In an.
swer to one written late Thursday aft
ernoon by Senator Stone outlining the
situation existing at the capitol,
where for two days. persistent d.s
mands had been made for some action
which might lessen the possibility O,
war between the United States ana
Germany.