Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1917-03-22
ARMED NEUTRALITY DURING PAST WARS

thorize a provisional army, to arrest
and expel aliens, to authorize the de-
Tense of merchant ships against
French war vessels and to enable the
president to borrow money. July z,
179S, President Adams approved an
act reciting that since treaties repeat
eddy had been violated by France. just
claim for reparation refused and a
system of predatory violence" pur-
sued by the French government, the
United States was "of right freed and
exonerated from the stipulations OF
the treaties" and that these ,compacts
should not henceforth be regarded as
legally obligatory on the government
or citizens of the United States.
Later in the same year further pro-
vision was made for augmentlng the
army and George Washington accept
ed the chief command. The attorney
general held that in view of the acts
Of France and the legislation by con-
gress there not only existed IAN actual
maritime war between France and the
United States, but a maritime war au-
thorized by both nations"
The difficulty with France was not
settled for many years. Thirty years
later France agreed to pay 25,0OO,0OO
francs ($5,O O,OOO) to satisfy American
claims, although many years before
that time her %depredations on Ameri-
can commerce and American reprisals
had ceased.
Like Senator FaII's Bill.
The acts Of congress in 1898 were
in the aggregate somewhat like the
| bill introduced in the senate recently
by Senator Fall. The president then
was authorized to instruct and direct
commanders Of United States war YES
sells to seize and bring into any port
of the United States any armed vessel
found lowering or the coasts Of the
United States and committing depre.
dations on American ships. They also
were instructed to retake any cap
tured American ship.
Another act authorized merchant
ships to be armed and to take the
same steps against foreign war yes
sells. Communication with France wal
forbidden and French vessels were
prohibited from entering the ports Of
the United States.
The bill introduced by Senator Fail
authorizes the president to "instruc'
and direct the commanders Of thu
armed vessels belonging to the United
States to extend protection to the yes
,sels and property Of the citizens Of thu
United States and to seize, take ant
bring into port or to destroy If unabl,
to seize any such armed vessels O.
either Of the central powers and par
ticularly Of the imperial German gov
eminent which shall have committe,
or which shall be found threatening t,
commit depredations on the vessel
belonging to the citizens Of the Unite,
States or contrary to international Law
committing or threatening to commi
depredations upon other vessels upol
which are being conveyed citizens t
the United States or their property
and also to retake any ship or vesse
Of any citizen OF citizens Of the Unite
States which may have been capture
by any such armed vessel Of the sal
central powers or either Of them"
Against Search and Seizure.
It also would provide for defense Q
vessels against search and seizure an
In the event of a declaration of wa
! against the United. States or of imm
nent danger of war before the sessio
Of the next congress would authoriz
} the president to raise an additions
/. army of 100000 men.