The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-27

Some time ago The Missouan published a letter
from Senator r. J. Walsh to J. r. Mulcahy, editor
of the Butte Independent. in reply to resolutions
sent by the Butte Peace committee Mr.. Mnlcahy
asks that his to the senator's letter he
printed in justification of the committee and himself
The follows
Butte. Montana. April %, 1917.
My Rear Mr.. Walsh
am in receipt OF your letter Of the 3rd inst which
was in reply to mine Of March the 2Sth with which
copy of resolutions enclosed. As far
discern these resolutions which published in
the Butte Independent Saturday, April the It'll.
were devoted entirely to an appeal to you, IN your
influential and preventative capacity senator.
to raise your voice in behalf Of peace and thus to
preserve to the families and homes of your con-
sttucnts far in your power lay. tho incstima
bic blessings which that peace would continue to
secure to them. Therefore, there is necessity for
me to dwell at length many of the side issues
raised in your letter. they apparently alto
gothcr invidous IL not indeed, alien to the sim
pie and direct rurport Of the said resolutionsthat
purport was. again assert. plain appeal to you
to raise your eloquent voice and powerful ability
plcadcr i'll behalf Of that peace which We felt
would best conserve the honor and glory of the
Republic.
shall not therefore. at this time enter upon .
discussion OF Your attitude on the ar1ning Of mcr
chant ships nor Of your position in regard to clo
urc the senate In face of the rapidity with
which events Of national importance have lately
transpir"d these issues almost ancient his
tory, and doubt not your attitude towards them
was not only strictly legal but prompted by the lof-
test conception Of patriotic duty. However. any
discussion of them at this juncturc could serve no
useful purpos" and would for the moment be purely
academic Moreover. We are now at and how
ever strongly the opinions Of the citizenship Of this
fro" and democratic nation might have lcgitmatcv
differed before the sword unShca thed. bcncc-
forth until victory pcrchcs banners and the
grievances Of which a people complain.
adjusted removed it is the duty Of each and every
the government which We have chosen for tho
duct Of our national and international affairs. am
satisfied too, that your efforts in this direction will
be no less earnest devoted than will be those of
tho many loyal and patriotic and women Of
Butte who, dr"ading tho horrors Of war, and tho
battles confusion. asserted their constitutional
rights and appealed yo their representative to
raise your powerful voice in behalf of peace.
Though at war. and though all the
energies Of the nation must DO directed its sue
""ssfn' termination, must advert to that portion
OF your letter in which YOU requested mo TO have
tn" Kindness t" tell YOU what ought to be done in
my vicW.' W"' 1t is now too late for the serious
consideration OF any alternative policy Yet. my
dear senator, had YOU but expressed a desire for the
q bic
time, prior to tho declaration Of a state Of war with
Germany instead Of aftcrwa rdS. | would ,Indouht
"dly have suggested a scheme, which. though not
originating with me- would. sanguine. have
saved us from the ghasty horrors and the tremcn-
dous expense of colossal war. am ono of those
who always convinced that true policy of our
country was to form and place ourselves at the head
of League of Neutral Nations compel both
| England and Germany to let ships and cit
chi,
| nations traverse the their lawful crrands
unmolcstcd and unhndcrcd
am lyofoundly. honestly and absolutely con.
WINGED that such rolicy would have gained its OBJ
l"ct without a gun having been fired and that the
business Of the neutral world and especially this
our own loved land, would hay" gone on peacefully.
and that We would not now be ranged Il one side
| or the other in the r-crtzcd bcgcrcncy of
bleeding and distracted Europe. ! believe that be
fore state Of declared with Germany that
tn" desire % the over" hcming iority of tho
| American rcop'" was FOR peace, if peace could b.
| honortbly maintained
Now rcacc could be maintained with honor and
with credit to ourselves, in my opinion if we adopt
ed tho sensible and starsmanlikc policy of putting
ourselves at the head of league Of all neutral na
| tons to demand strict and complete and imm"di
ate observance by all the bcllccrcnts of the plain
and we'll established law Of nations
| You must, Of course, be aware that neither Eng
land nor Germany observed the law of nations OF
paid the slightest regard to the rights of ucutra
peoples; and the attitude OF every other ncut ra
government, but ours, is that these bclligcrcnts
| should be made to conform to international law
and to cease their aggrcssvencsss and their piracic
upon the commerce of pcaCCablc peoples This Is
| the attitude of Spain well of Holland, Den
tnark. Sweden Norway and nearly II not indeed %
all, of the South American and Central American
| republics. Now that We have entered the war W,
can no longer of course, be recognized as the hea,
of the neutral powers of the world In such a posi-
lion, and standing upon such sublime plane, I hat
.ardent'y hoped to see this majestic Republic o