The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-03-29

Now that we are on the verge of just
defensive war with Germany it is
profitable and expedient for us to re-
view the justice of our course in al
lowing individuals and firms within
the United States to sell contraband
of war and arms and munitions to
the foes of the German empire. That
patience has ceased to be a virtue is
confessed even by avOwed pacifists
who generally concede that President
Wilson has exhausted all reasonable
means to avoid a conflict. But there
is with some a lurking feeling that in
some degree this nation has been cul-
pable in permitting the sale of arms to
the belligerent powers. This idea has
been skillfully inculcated by the
friends of Germany and the statement
is often made that such sale is con-
trary to the principles of international
law 1t is also asserted that by per-
hitting such sale the United States
violated the principles of moral law.
While this nation has plenty of provo
cation in any event, an examination of
these questions must be timely, for it
makes a difference whether we be-
lieve we are 100 per cent right or only
ninety-five per cent right in conflict
The man who hath his quarrel wholly
just will fight harder than the man
who hath his quarrel mostly just
In a recent article I showed that the
policy of the United States in regard
to the sale of arms by individuals in
this country is today what it was dur
ing the administration of Washington.
and that while the attitude of other
nations had varied somewhat from
To 1,xr
the application of the principle, ours
had not, and moreover. that we took
the stand that we did on the ground
that it was based on the teachings of
that great authority on the law of ma
tions-Vattel Finally the Hague trib-
unal adopted this principle as the law
of modern nations.
For more than six months after the
breaking out of the present war in
Europe we heard nothing about its
! being in violation of international law
for neutral nations to allow their cit
liens to sell arms to belligerents. On
/ February a, 1915, Germany issued heI
famous "War Zone" order against
Great Britain. On February 10 Sec
rotary w. J. Bryan sent a protest tC
Germany, to which that country re-
piled on February 16. In the course
of this reply the German foreign sec
rotary Won Jagow said: "The Ger
man government has given due rec
ognition to the fact that as a matter o.
form the exercise of rights and the
federation of wrong on the part O.
neutrals is limited to their pleasure
alone and involves no formal breacl
of neutrality The German govern
ment have not, in consequence, made
any charge of formal breach of neu
trality. The German government can
not, however, do otherwise, especial!
in the interest of absolute clearnes!
in the relations between the two
countries, than to emphasize that they
in common with the public opinion o
Germany, feel themselves placed a
a great disadvantage through th'
fact that the neutral powers have
hitherto achieved no success or onl,
unmeaning success in their assertion
of the rights to trade with Germany
acknowledged to be legitimate by in
ternational law, whereas they maxi
unlimited use of THEIR RIGHT TT
TOLERATE TRADE IN CONTRA
BAND WITH ENGLAND AND OUT
OTHER ENEMIES"
The German government in thu
above communication, therefore, ad
mited that the United States and othe