Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-03-10
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER
NEWSPAPERS APPROVE WILSON, POLICY.

I.
With singular unanimity the press of the state
of Washington, regardless of political affiliations
and beliefs, approves the stand President Wilson
has taken in his controversy with congress to pre-
vent the passage of resolution warning Ameri-
cans not to travel on armed merchantmen. So
unanimous is that opinion, indeed, that former
Senator George Turner apparently hits the nail
squarely on the head when he says that those SEN
ators and representatives who are opposing the
president twill have very serious reckoning
when they come home to their constituents"
statement which was perhaps aimed directly at
Congressman Dill the only Democrat in this
states delegation, but which also applies with as
much force to Senator JONES' who appears to be
trying to out-Bryan Bryan.
Of more than hundred Washington newspa-
pers read by us this week, only one struck dis
cordant note. We do not know its politics, but it
happens to be run by Germans. 1t is the Friday
Harbor journal, which says it cannot conceive
of any occasion arising sufficiently urgent for any
American citizen to jeopardize his own life, as
well as to place the United States government in
an uncalled position, by taking passage on an
armed belligerent ship when there are neutral YES
sells plying the same waters" This, we believe,
begs the question, for as the Douglas County
Press, Democratic newspaper, by the way, that
has always been staunch supporter of Bryan, puts
it that is matter Of policy and not Of right It
may be good policy for citizen of the United
States or any other country not to travel while
this war Of kings is going on in Europe" state
ment with which we all generally will agree, but
they have an absolute right to travel on the seas
and to do business with each other, and the only
right any beligerent nation has is to stop them, if
it can, and search for contraband but in no case
to endanger life. This is right of citizen of the
world and q right no nation can afford to deny
The president cannot recede from his posi-
ton, /" the Press declares He is unalterably
right from the point Of humanity, decency and
every other point Of view. He is contending and
contending rightly for the freedom Of the seas for
trade and travel
The fact that Germanys new submarine cam
paign changes the rules and customs Of warfare
during war; when the law Of nations cannot be
changed, and violates, SO most of the newspapers
insist the known and accepted principles Of inter-
national law, is emphasized in all the comments.
ssNo ship has the legal right to slip up from the
effort to save crew and passengers the Press de-
clares. .sThey are in duty bound by all laws and
usages of warfare to make every effort for the
safety of passengers and crew. To slip up from
the bottom of the sea and scuttle ship is an act
of piracy"
EVERY instinct of humanity is with Wilson,"
the San Poll Eagle declares, and no expediency
can justify departure from such a righteous de-
mand nor can we afford to sacrifice national
honor by circumscribing the rights Of American
citizens on the high seas This is the feature of
the situation that also appeals to the Tacoma New
Herald, Republican newspaper, which says that
tto recede from stand that is justified by the
dictates Of honor a proper consideration for the
welfare of humanity and the usage of nations,
would be little short of an act of cowardice, such
as must invite contempt and impositions that
would ultimately drive the United States into war
or the sacrifice of the prestige and consideration
that are essential to the maintenance of national
existence
Ever since his resignation secretary of state,
laws more stringent even than the warning reso-
buttons in restricting the rights Of Americans to
travel the seas, and because it at his in
stance the first of these resolutions introduced
into the house and senate he is generally credited
and rightly, too, with leading the opposition to
Wilson's policy. The Spokane Spokesman Review
had this in mind when it spoke of 'those senators
and representatives who are behind the Bryan