Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1916-02-29
WILSON'S LETTER TO SENATOR STONE

Following is the letter that President Wilson wrote to Senator Stone
in which he declared his principle o the summarizing of merchant liners
and which has been the NJ of so much comment:
"My Dear Senator-I very warmly appreciate your kind and frank
letter of today and feel that it calls for an equally frank reply.
"You are right in assuming that I shall do everything in my power
to keep the United States Our of war. think the country will teel no
uneasiness about my course in that respect. Through many nNo
months l have suiven for that object, amidst difficulties or man.
fold than car have been apparent upon the surface IN so 'ar l have
succeeded. 1 do not doubt that [ shall continue to succeed.
"The course which the Central European Powers have announced
their intention of following in the future with regard to undersea war
fare seems for the moment to threaten insuperabe obstacles, but its
apparent meaning is SO manfestly inconsistent with explicit assurances
recently given us by those powers with regard to their treatment Of
merchant vessels O n the high sea that must believe that explanations
will presently ensue which will put a different aspect on it. We have
had no reasont to question their good faith or their fidelity to their prom
in the past, and I for one feel confident that we shall have lone in
the future.
"But: in any event our duty is clear. No nation or group of nations
has the right while the al is in progress to alter or disregard the princi-
pies which all nations have agreed upon IN mitigation OF tn horrors
suHenngs of war; and if the clear rights of American citizens should
We unhappny be abridged Or denied by any such action, we should, it
to me, have in honor no choice as to what II w course should
"For my W part, I cannot consent to any abridgement of the
rights of American citizens in any respect. The honor and seI-respect
cost but the loss of honor. To forbid II people ito exercise their rights
for fear we might be called upon to vindicate them would be a deep
humiliation indeed. 1t would be an implicit, all but a explicit, &C
quiescence in the violation of the rights of mankind everywhere and Of
whatever nation o allegiance. 1t would be a deliberate abdicaton Of
our hitherto proud position as spokesman even amid the turmoil of war
for the law and the right 1t would make everything this government
has attempted and everything that it has achieved during this terrible
struggle of nations meaningless and futile.
at is important to reflect that if in this instance we allowed expedi-
ency to take the place of principle, the door would inevitably be opened
to still further concessions. Once accept a single abatement of right
and many other humiiations would certainly follow and the whole fab
rio IT international law might crumb1e under III hands piece by piece.
what We are contendng for in this matter is of the very ssens
of the things that have made America a sovereign nation. She cannot
yield them without concedng her own impotency as a nation and max
ing virtual surrender Of her independent position among the nations OF
the world.
with a clear consciousness OF the high responsibilities of my office and
IS your sincere and devoted friend. If W should unhapp1y differ, w e
shall differ IS friends; but where issues 50 momentous as these are in
VOWED we must, just because W e are friends, speak or minds without
reservation. Faithfully yours, WOODROW WILSON"