Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-12
CritiCises the Recent Arraign-
ment of President Wilson's
Foreign Policy.
SAYS u. S. HAD NO RIGHT
TO NEEDLE IN WAR ISSUES
Defends Non-Interference in Case of
Belgium and Assails Record of
Prior Administrations.

y vigorous reply To- former Sen
atur Elihu Roots recent ar
raiSnment OF the administration 5
foreign policy was made by Sen
ator Joseph +. Ransdell. demo-
crat, OF Louisiana in a speech
entitled The Silence OF Elihu,
delivered in the Senate Friday
afternoon.
After declaring that Senator Roots
silence on President Wilson's pam
American policy was because he could
find nothing in it to criticise. Senator
Ransdell took issue with Mr.. Root S
assertion that treaty obligations should
have caused the United States to pro-
test against Germany's invasion of Bel
GUM.
Says U. S. Had No Cause to NEEDLE.
Far be ii from me to defend the
crushing of Belgium by Germany" said
Senator Ransdell. Il regard ii as one
of the saddest events in all history. 1t
was not. for us, however. in violation of
European affairs. The ex-senator from
New York cannot impress upon the
United States its obligation to rescue
every nation that is in distress. and
he cannot convince the great body of
Americans that such is our duty.
The United States was not a party
to the solemn convention of November
IS. 1881. signed by Great Britain. Aus
tria. France. Russia. Prussia and Bel
GUM guaranteeing the neutrality of
Belgium. That treaty was purely a
European affair. and arose out of the
mutual fears of the high contracting
parties that one of them might gain
some advantage over the others by
using Belgium seat of operations
The breach or enforcement of TINS So
called scrap of paper" was d matter
with which the United States had no
concern. in so far as it is affected bv its
treaty obligations
The invasion of Belgium was not a
breach of The Hague convention thai
was signed by the United States be-
cause that agreement referred to neu-
tral nauonS-that is. nations not en-
gagged in war-and the obligations it
imposed IN regard to invasion had
nothlng TO do with ration neutralized
oy special agreement between conflict
ing powers. which was the legal effect
OF the treaty of 1881, which the United
states did not sign.
Belgium Classed as Bellieerent
After the issuing of the German uIti-
matum TO Belgium. coupled with its
conditional declaration of war Belgium
IN the eyes of The Hague convention
became belligerent. and its invasion
was not the invasion of a neutral coun-
TRY. though il was the invasion of a
country neutraiized by special treaty
between interested powers
Ihese signatory powers have a right
hE
not, and whatever our feelings may he
on the subject il is not our duty as a
nation to protest against the breach of
treaty to which we are not a party
Such an act would be especially un-
JuStihapie when we know that il prob
ably would drag us into the maelstrom
OF frightful European war
mere U.s. however. a peculiar in
consistency when Senator Root pro-
tests against what he processes to re-
gard as violation of treaty made
by the United States. If breach bv
US OF any treaty obligations in regard
10 Belgium has been committed which
deny. II does not lie in the mouth of
ex-senator Root, of all men. to protes,
against il.
Was he not the public defender and
Poiogtst of the rape of Panama bv the
rtted States: Has he not in public
""'ii eSses attempted to justify the fla
= ant violation of our solemn conven
t''r with our weak sister. Colombia
sih ice ruthless disregard of her SOW
2ccf-n rights
Po.ioy of Previous Administrations.
senator Ransdell reviewed at length
tn policies of previous administra
tons as to Panama and Colombian poIi-
e'tS aud turned TO the Colombia treaty
now before the Senate. the ratification
OF which. he said. will heal the wounds
the making of which Mr. Root was A
party"
ioIutlnG with pride to the benefits
Nhlch ne asserted have come from the
LAIN American policy VI President
" ilson and the democratic administra-
ton. Senator Ransdel! said. in CON
clusion.
These are the things to which SEN
ator Root resolutely closed his Inns
thouSh no eyes saw them more clearly
tnan mis-. Partisan politics shackIed
nus tongue and warped his sense of ms
bce- Can one who was silent on SO
important subject-because if he
spoke at all IT would necessarily have
oeen IN terms of praise-hope~fo have
ms words on other points carry con
NictionZ His silence is tantamount IN