Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-15
"U. S. HAS RIGHT
TO SEEK PEACE"
Senator Stone
Warning Countries Have
Grossly Injured This Ma
ton, Speaker Asserts.
WAR LIKE A FAMILY FEUD
Neutrals' Welfare Disturbed
and It's Up to Outsiders to
Act, He Thinks.

Act, He Thinks.
ST. LOUIS Mo. Dec. li.-Thc right
of a neutral which has suffered from
the effects of the European war. par
ticulnrly the right of the United States
, to initiate movement for peace was
, asserted here tonight before the
league to enforce peace. 10y Senator
stone, chairman of the senate foreign
relations committee.
since the war has almost from the
q beginning resulted in continuing Of
fcnsiVc attacks ON the rights and dig
, lnitN of this coNcrcgnty and ntliCtiug
lincalcuablc injury To our national in
tcrosts-all of which we have borne
with patience because of our friend
, ship for the nations involved" said
Senator stone, 1T seems to me that
after enduring these attacks and suf-
fcring these losses for nearly two and
. a half years with no end yet In sight.
, that we have right without regard
to any question of sympathy or hu-
manity, but solely ON our own account
= and to safeguard our own interests to
r approach the combatauts as mutual
, friend and open negotiations with a
, view to the rc-establishment OF nor
j NAL international conditions
{ "Omr putty to Intervene.
e "Our relations to the combat are
such and our interests are so involved
p that I think we have right To speak
, "a right SO clear as to cntitlo us
to speak without asking and without
+ just offcnsc. We would not speak
, impcrtincntly as intcrmeddlcrs. but as
, a friend who suffered previously and
= innocently from the ruthless acts OF
, war"
& The senator declared that he wished
. u distinctly understood that he spoke
on his own personal responsibility,
y but said he later might speak in an
other form" on whether any neutral
: or group of ncutrals should attempt
D any affirmative action to end the
, present war" He said he would not
y discuss the wisdom or unwisdom of
o an approach of tho bclligercnts with
o peace proposals, but merely of the
q propriety of the right" and pointed
y out that distinguished men have
0 warned that such movement would
0 not only be futile, but offensive.
0 Nations Like Families.
0 81 am not disposed" he added. "to
n accept without questioning either the
y accuracy of these statements or the
v soundness of the reasons on which
" llfN iIt ~ iNlilfHs VIZ lhllllll'N WIN
- a feud between them might so long as
a they keptthc peace and observe the
v law, resent any effort of an outsider
~ To harmoniZe them, but If they should
II break forth into open war SO as TO
disturb the general peace and visit
universal harm upon the whole neigh
borhood. the law-abiding members Of
IS the community would have a right to
call halt without being guilty of inn
q pcrtincnce. why should not the same
/, rule apply morally and legally to the
" family of natiOnsY
Crimes Against L. s.
u The United states. the senator said
has suffered from acts committed
which have been grossly offensive
n To our national pride and hurtfUl be-
yond estimate to our national inter
ests." He instanccd censorship of the
,S mails. ships seized or sunk on the high
seas, peaceful commerce with ncutral'
. interrupted or intcrdictcd and Ameri'
'' can citizens-'men, women and chill
drcn and guilty of no offcnse-klllet
on land and sea without warning anc
without Justification"
There have been times" he con
NJ tinued, when our patience has beer
Y strained to the limit and when danger
to our own national peace lurked IN
the thickening shadows of every pass
ing day Yes, there have been times
n when our peace was preserved only
by the clear vision. the steady hand
the resolutc heart of one man. DO no
such things give MS some right of oul
own to speak u kindly word I'm behalf
of peaCe?'
Ncutrals Should Act.
m - can not escapcs the view" Sen
p, ator stone concluded, that a neutra
nation suffering on so large a seal,
a
ut just point of view to stand hclplessll
10 aloof, denied all right to offer even
suggestion until invited to speak. on
"a the contrary / hold that whenever
=, nation or any group of neutral nationi
" becomes the uuotfcnding victim of AM
le wars 1t or they acting singy or II
10 concert. can as of a right. make rep
nc reservations to the nations at war L
discuss the questions at issue ant
is strive for basis upon which hon
c. orable peace may be restored to th'
C. world.
at "If you ask what the neutral ma
ly tions might do If their approachmen
Sc should be resented as offensive, / an
ls swer that that would be question
ir for after consideration. The question
ne is not difficult to answer Nariou
IN things might be done If any or al
IN belligcrents persisted In "a COurs
or which might be regarded as not onl,
IN offensive but hurtful to the neutra
nations offering their friendly ser
no vices. | do not now care to go to th
nj length of indicating what might b.
no done
es "My purpose in vonturng upon thi
~ theme is solely to combat the notiol
or that in the circumstances Of this wa
~ neutral nations can properly move
Va even In the most friendly spirit, I,
.o terminate struggle disastrous no
-, only to the nations engaged in il
VI but enormously hurtful to the who'll
. world. until such outside Intervention
has been invited. ! cannot subscribe
to that doctrine"
The Silver Lining.
A Riverside mother was injured 1