The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-04-27
CRISIS CAUSED BY
WILSON'S VAClLLATION
United Republican Party Need
ed to Restore Self-Respect
and Honor TO u. S.


ohio's candidate for the Republican
nomination for the Presidency.
Mr.. Burton, who is ex.Unlted States
Senator from Ohio, spoke under the
auspices Of the oregon Republican
Club. His address was essentially
political In It's nature, but in view of
the present difficulties confronting the
Nation II was touched throughout with
highly patriotic tone
The audience manifested It's unequi.
vocal approval b. a tremendous ova-
ton when he said:
AT times like this we are not Re.
publlcans nor Democrats, Socialists or
Prohibitionlsts, we are American citi-
zens"
But Senator Burton was emphatic In
his declaration that the very presence
OF these international complications
calls for flrmness and experience In
handling the affairs OF the Nation.
Under such conditions and under
such circumstances. he asserted. the
thoughts OF the people instinctively
turn to the Republican party-the
party OF experience. the party OF capa.
bility. the party OF accomplishment
THE one fact more obvious than
any other In all the conflicting current
OF events" he said. "is that the pres.
ent ignoble status OF the United states
in relation TO other countries has been
brought about by the halting. the va.
cillation and the hesitancy OF the pres.
ent Administration"
lie then took up in detail n discus.
sion OF the present Administration
conduct OF international affairs. say.
Ing
NOW the President makes the most
extravagant speeches for prepared.
ness: he says we must have the larg.
est Navy IN the world: he says that no
man can tell what day or an hour
may bring forth. IL was surely Just as
obvious when the first gun was fired
In Europe that the United States must
be ready 10 protect itself as Il is TO.
day. There is such n thing as being
too late 10 prepare. but when danger
threatens there Ia no such thing as be-
Ing too early. Yet the Administration
has been on both sides OF this question
with equal impatience OF all who dis
agree and with equal inability there.
fore TO convince anyone OF It's entire
sincerity.
And what is Il all hbouti Here
again the whole difficulty arose from
the exercise OF those two conspicuous
talents OF the present Administration.
the passion for interference In the af
fairs OF other nations and the inability
10 keep away from both sides Of the
same question.
ION February 10. 1915. the Admins.
tratlon warned the German govern
ment OF the consequences OF carrying
out the policy foreshadowed In It's ad.
miralty proclamation In case II should
result In destroying any merchant yes
sci OF the United States or In causing
the death OF American citizens. and
threatened 10 hold the German gov
ernment 10 a strict accountability for
any such act.
"A note from the Secretary OF State
on May 10. last. limited the rule that
lives OF nopcombatants OF neutral or
other states should not be put In Jeo-
pardy TO such as sailed on unarmed
merchantmen.
"The word 'unarmed' Is important.
But departing from these earlier dec
larations. In the latter part OF January.
1916. the State Department, In a note
10 the various powers sought 10 induce
the allies 10 disarm their merchant
men and placed especial stress on the
disadvantages OF submarines In con-
flict with armed merchantmen, saying
In substance Il would not be fair that
the submarines should be compelled
to expose themselves to destruction
from such vessels and that merchant
men should not be permitted TO carry
armament at all, stating further that
the United States Government was
seriously considering the announce
ment OF its purpose TO treat mer-
chant vessel carrying guns as an aux,
iliary cruiser because OF the changed
conditions In maritime warfare result
ing from the Introduction OF the sub
marine and its defenseless character.
After the publication OF this note
Germany aud Austria-iungary on or
about February 10 very promptly an
nounced that on and after March i
they would regard all merchantmen
carrying armament as warships and
would exercise the right TO destroy
.hem without warning,
"He said: NO. for such course
would involve the loss OF American cit
izens, and American citizens have the
right to travel on merchantmen armed
| for defense.
THUS we attempted to persuade
England and France TO give up right
which they claimed under information
al law, but would not ask American
citizens to yield right which We al
legged belonged TO them under the same
/ law.
"In other words. we took the posi-
ton that England and France had no
right TO arm their merchantmen, for
thus thsy became warships, while, on
the other hand, only a few weeks later
we maintained that although they
were warships. Germany had no right
20 sink them without warning
/ $50 II appears that the whole con
troyersy. OF which the end is not yet,
fraught as II is with so much danger
10 the peace Of the United States, dis
cussed from one end of the country 70