The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-06-29

, dispatched threw a clear light on the
| seriousness with which our Govern
/ ment viewed the crisis.
: Germany's Reply was Evasive.
"From this point events moved rap
, idly. The Powers of the Entente re-
piled to the German peace note. Neu-
trail nations took action on the note
of the President and from both bel
ligcrents replies to this note were
soon in our hands"
1t is charged that the German re-
ply was evasive in that Germany and
her Allies refused to state their terms
and merely proposed a conference,
while the response of the Entente
Powers was frank and in harmony
with our principle purpose"
The authoritative statement then
goes on to show "that the aims of the
belligerents were now becoming clear"
Germany, while claiming to be fight
ing war for defense, adopted the tone
of conqueror. The Central Powers
wanted a peace that would let them
crush their adversaries. Then came
the discovery of Foreign Minister
Zimmerman's efforts to get Japan and
Mexico to join Germany in a war
against the United States and the re-
sumption by Germany of unrestricted
submarine warfare.
The first portion of the pamphlet
is generally an exposition of the con-
sistent policy of the United States to
mind its own business and to seek
settlement of disputes between ma
tons by judicial means and not by
resort to arms.
The Monroe Doctrine, it is set
forth, has been the dominating ele-
ment in the growth of our foreign
policy. In warning the Old World
not to interfere in the political life
of the New, the United States Gov
eminent pledged itself in return to
abstain from interference in the DO
litical conflicts of Europe, and history
has indicated the wisdom of this
course" the pamphlet says. This pol
icy was reaffirmed by the United
States in both conferences held at
The Hague. The point is made that
In the Algeciras Conference, the Unit
ed States delegates, while acquiesc-
ing in the new regime which guaran-
teed the independence and integrity
of Morocco, explicitly announced that
we assumed no police responsibility
for the enforcement of the treaty" and |
to this is added:
eve declined to be drawn into
quarrels abroad which might endan- |
ger. in any way our traditional poll |
cy."
U. S. Attitude Ever Consistent.
"Our second tradition" is the term
applied to what is described as "our |
persistent effort to secure stable |
and equitable agreement of the ma
tons upon such maritime code as
would assure to all the world Just
freedom of the seas.
"The attitude of the United States |
Government in Napoleon's continent
tai blockade and towards to Barbary |
pirates are mentioned as PREDATORY
to the argument that our course in the
controversy with Germany over il
legal sinking of merchant craft by
German submarines has been consist
emily based on traditional policy.
"We have urged the inviolability of
private property at sea, we have
asked for liberal free list and mar
INV hCilllJlOll Vi IIlG
pamphlet says, and it stated that 1--WE
have asked for nothing for ourselves
that we do not ask for the whole
world" One of the most interesting
statements in the document is that
the Declaration of London, with ref
erence to maritime rules in time of
war, came to nothing because the
Germans refused to accept limitations
on land powers in compensation for
limitations on action at sea, which,
fell with greater weight on Great
Britain as Power dependent almost
wholly on its navy for protection.
The third outstanding aspiration of
American international policy, the
states, was the substitution
of judicial for military settlement of
between nations. The gene
sis Of this idea, it is pointed out, dates
from the discussions of the Federal
organization of the "13 original |
States, which were almost as jeal-
GUS of their sovereignties as are the ;
nations of Europe today"
1t is narrated that the outbreak of l.
war in 1914 caught the United States
by surprise, so little acquainted were
the people with European affairs. The
President called upon the nation to
maintain neutrality and real neutral
ity was preserved during the first
months of the war, although public
opinion had been deeply stirred by
the German invasion of Belgium and
the reports of atrocities there.
Neutrality Efforts Are Reviewed.
The efforts of the Government to /
preserve neutrality are reviewed. The {
task was difficult in view of the ac-
ton of the German Government in
stirring up among its people feeling {
of resentment against the United
States on account of this country's ]
upon our right as a neu- {
trail nation to trade in munitions with c
a belligerent Power. Germany is ac-
cused as having sold munitions as s
late as the Balkan wars of 1912 and
1918 to the belligerents. Austria is t
accused of similar inconsistency. 1t
The pamphlet reviews all the evil
dence of German bad faith toward
the United Statas uncovered hu tb;s I;