The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-18
UNNEUTRAL ACT

iContiuued from Page OneI
tention to treat armed merchant ships
rs war vessels after February 29. AS
late as the presidents note of May 10,
1915. signed by Mr.. Bryan, Senator
Lodge aid. this government .tcog-
nized that American citizens We're
within their undisputed rights in TAX
ing their ships and in travelling wher-
ever their legitimate business calls
them upon the high seas"
Surrender of Rights.
rSuch" he added. has been the
practice Of all nations in regard to the
armed me rchantman. 1t seems utter
IS Incredible that this position should
be in any way altered now or that our
government should be ready to sur
render the unquestioned rights of
Americans to travel or ship goods on
a beiliserent merchantmen subject to
all the rules which have been estab-
lished by the courts and by all inter-
national authorities for at least two
centuries.
.rrhe abandonment of these rights by
any neutral government on the ground
that the invention of submarines with
the necessary limitations upon the
powers of capture possessed by those
boats is inconceivable. such abandon
inert could only rest on the ground
that the rights of neutrals. the rules
for which for centuries have been
agreed upon by all nations. for the
protection Of innocent lives upon YES
sells captured In war, must he thrown
aside and discarded in order that 4
new Instrument of maritime destruc
ton must not be impeded in its work
Of death and murder. Such a doctrine
Is revoltiug to every instinct of human
ity, TO every principle of law and jus
tice.
Is CnncutraI Act
.There is. however, another side to
this matter which is of even graver
Importance. There can be no question
that any act by neutral which al
tiers conditions created by a war is
an unneutral act and places the neu-
trad upon the side of one belligerent
or the other.
rThis Is eminently true of any form
of embargo and there is no need that
/ should repeat the unansw era BIZ
argument on this point embodied by
Mr.. Lansing in his note of last August
TO the government of Austria Hun
eary. The war and the war alone has
also created conditions under which
any change at this time in the attitude
which We took officially at the out
set Of the war in regard to armed
mercha ntmen would be an unneutral
act
THE merchantmen of one belliger-
ent have been swept from the seas.
Therefore if we should abandon all
principles on this subject we have
ever sustained. if we abandon the
rules laid down by Mr. Lansing in
his circular of September. 1914, and
declare that our ports are closed to
armed Merchantmen or that goods
and passengers from the United States
cannot De placed on an uncommis-
Stored merchant men armed solely for
defense our action would effect only
one belligerent.
Would Make Us an Ally.
cit would alter Conditions created
BY. the war and would therefore be
uaneutral 1t would make us at once
the ally of the belligerent whose mer-
xhnnt marine has been driven from
he ocean. IL will be step toward
war.
II cannot believe that the admin
istration thinks for a minute of alter
ing .he well defined position which
il took at the outset OF the European
war and believe that it must stand