The Washington herald., 1916-02-25
WILSON CALLS UPON
NATION TO BACK HIM
UP IN U-BOAT STAND
Wilson Nails Flag
to Mast in Letter

gave out the following letter,
which the President yesterday sent
to Senator william j. stone, his
spokesman in the senntet
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Washington Feb. "A, 1915.
MY Dear SENATOR
very warmly appreciate your
Kind and frank letter of today.
and feel that ID calls for an equally
frank reply.
You are right In assuming that
i shall do everything I'm my power
to keep the United States out of
war. think the country will
feel NO uneasine.s nbout my
course In that respect. Through
many anxious months have
striven for that object, amidst
difficulties more manifold than
can have been apparent upon the
surface, and so far I have sue
ceeded. I do not doubt that 1 shall
~ CouTSt
which the central European pow
ers have announced their inten-
ton Of following I'm the future
with regard to underses warfare
seems for the moment to threaten
insuperable obstacles, hut IL. ap-
parent meaning IL SO manifestly
ineennistent with explicit assur-
ances recently given Us by those
powers with regard to their treat
high seas that i must believe that
explanations will presently ensue
which Will Put q different aspect
upon IL. We have lad NO reason
to question their good faith or
their adeiity to their promises In
the past, and 1. for enc, feel con-
Adent that we shall have meme In
the future.
But, in ass event, cur dirty In
clear. No nation, no group Of ma
items, has the right, while war is
In progress, to alter or disregard
the principles which nH nations
have agreed upon In mitigation of
the horrors and sufferers of war;
and IL the clear rights of Ameri-
can citizens should very unhappiIy
he abridged or denied by any
such action, we should, 1T seems
to me, have, in honor, no choice
as to what our own course should
be.
For my own part, cannot con-
sent to any abridgmcnt of the
rights of American citizens I'm any
respect.
The honor and seIf-respect of
the nation is Involved. We covet
peace, and shall preserve IL at any
cost but the Io.s of honor. To
forbid our people to exercise their
rights for fear we might be called
upon to vindicate them would be
= deep humiliation indeed. IL
would be an impIicit-al but an
explicit-acquiescc In the vio-
lation Of the rights of mankind
everywhere and of whatever ma
ton or allegiance.
N would be a deliberate nbdica-
ton of our hitherto proud posi-
ton Is spokesmen, even amidst
the turmoil of war, for the law
and the right.
II would make everything this
government has attempted and
everything that II has accom-
plished during this terrible strux-
gle of nations meaningless. and
futile.
1t In important to reflect that IL
in this instance we allowed ex-
pediency to take the place of prin-
ciple, the door would inevitably be
opened to still further conces-
sions. Once accept q single abste-
ment of right and many other
humiliations would certainly fol-
AVVS aho INC NnotS
international law might crumbIe
under our hands, piece by piece,
what we are contending for in
this matter IA of the very essence
OF the things that have made
America a sovereign nation. She
cannot yield them without con-
cediAg her own impotency as a m
ton and making virtual surrender
Of her independent position among
the nationa of the world.
am speaking, my dear Senator,
In deep soIemnity, without heat.
with q clear Consciousness of the
AisA responsibilities of my office,
and ~ your sincere and devoted
friend II we should, unhappiiy,
diRer, we shall differ as friends,
bat where Issues 20 momentous ms
these are involved we must. Just
because we are friends, speak our
uainas without reservation.
Faithfully yours,
WOODROW WILSON.