The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-03-29
Sale of Munitions Is
according to LdW of
Nations and Morality
Bg lanes D. WHELAN

neutrals had proceeded so clearly
within the letter of the law that no
formal protest could be made AMI
claimed the right to depart from the
rules hitherto observed in sea war
fare by all civilized nations on the
ground that the protests of the United
States and other neutrals against the
methods of the so-called blockade OF
the allies had not been wholly effec-
tive. And because that such protests
have not been efficacious the German
government says that the neutral
powers should by unprecedented meth
DDS be deprived of what it comedies in
terms to be their right Had the VIC
lations of international law by Ger
many been of analogous in character
and extent to the violations of the al
lies, we would have treated them in
the same way depending on negotia-
ton and arbitration to secure due
compensation for the undoubted
wrongs committed.
On April A. 1915, Germany took a
new position By inference assuming
that the principles outlined in the
former note were sound and admitting
that Germany had in previous wars
furnished arms to belligerents, she
set up the claim that this war differ
ed from others in that the United
States was practically the only neu-
trail that could profit by such sale on
the part of its citizens. In other
words, it was all right for Germany
to sell arms when everybody was
doing it, but wrong for the United
States to permit it's citizens to do so,
when competition became nOn-exist-
ant through the participation of 9TH
er principal nations in the war. The
question of great profits accruing to
the munitions manufacturers in the
United States and the fact that theil
business had grown resulting from
this condition was pointed out and il
was asserted "the theoretical willing
ness to supply Germany also. if ship
ping thither were possible does NOT
alter the case" also suggested that il
was our moral duty to prohibit the ex-
portation of contraband to the allies
unless we could freely ship it to Ger
many. The contradictory character
of the whole German argument in this
case must be evident for after con.
tending that the sale of contrabanC
and arms by American citizens was
wrong when they were not sold il
competition with the products of th'
citizens of other neutral countries, i
was, in the same communication, i'm
, piled that such sale under the cir
cumstances named would be all RICH
if made to both parties, even though
the American manufacturers whose
opulence was complained of would
become still richer through sucl
traffic.
The fact is that the willingness tt
sell was not merely theoretical. WheI
= the submarine boats came here from
} Germany they took back with them tn,
, sort of contraband most effective il
assisting German armies. The Uni
ted States never protested against thu
/ activities of the German raiders o.
/, against the sinking of ships by sub
, marines according to the rules o
? cruiser warfare. The growth of Ger
tain lines of business here dealing il
cOntraband was natural and Away
took place in every neutral countr,
: during war between other nations. TIL
} German contention, which amounte'
to the claim that our attitude was con
| trary to the spirit, thought not tn
letter, of neutrality was but the echl
} of other contentious from one side o
the other during every war abroa'
, since the foundation of our country