Evening star., 1918-11-26
FREEDOM Of SEAS
DEFINITION SOUGHT
Pressure for DeIineation of
Presidents "Point" Here
and Abroad.
BIG QUESTIONS INVOLVED
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright 1915. BY N. 7. Evening Post, Inc
Pressure is coming from all parts
Of this country and to some extent
from abroad to secure definition OF
President Wilson's fourteen points,
and particularly what is meant by
freedom Of the seas. s...
How naucls American interest has
baeu prodpeed By = desire of Europe
to know Mr.. Wilson's detailed plans,
and what is the source Of the severe
comment that has been made by some
British newspapers on the subject
cannot be accurately calculated, of
course, but it is apparent that the
President plans to make no state
ment Of his intentions until he
reaches the peace conference.
This course has been frequently
criticised in and out of Washington on
the ground that the President is not
following one of his own precepts-
open diplomacy. In answer to that.
friends of Mr.. Wilson argue that 1t
would be injudiciouS. for him to say
through the press what he prefers to
say face to face with European states
men concerning freedom of the seas.
league of nations and other subjects
for which the fourteen points have
furnished basis.
Nations to Look Out for Selves.
1t is contended, for instance, that,
however altruistic and unselfsh and
lofty may be the professions of every
country at the peace table, each ma
ton will primarily look out for itself.
The President is represented as be-
ing anxious to care for the interests
of the United States. no matter what
may be the attitude of the confer
ence toward the abstract principles
which hitherto have been evolved by
allied and American statesmen.
On the question of disarmament, for
example, Mr.. Wilson wants to see
ornaments reduced, but if there is
no general agreement, then the Unit
ed States will continue her building
record during the last war shows
that we could soon have the biggest
Navy in the world. Secretary Daniels
went before Congress recently and
advocated a large Navy. That move
surprised many who supposed Mr..
Daniels would not be out of harmony
with the idealism of the administra-
ton on the subject of large navies
But it develops that the Secretary
of the Navy is taking the safe course.
America is to keep on enlarging her
Navy until there is an agreement
on disarmament.
As to Merchantmen.
Then there is the matter of ship
building. America has built large
feet of merchant vessels during the
war. Foreign nations would like to
avail themselves of American ship
building facilities and get into the own
ership, moreover, Of American COM
panies. for the benefit Of foreign capt.
tai. Shall this opportunity for Ameri-
can business men be lost to them
Freedom of the seas means SO far as
1 can discover equality on the seas
for American business and American
capital in commerce and shipbuilding.
II European countries are not will
ing to engage in agreementS that give
all nations an equal share. then the
United States must be ready to enter
the field of competition and her facili-
ties must be protected against exploit
tation by foreign interests
Another sidelight on the question
Is offered by Chairman Hurley's sig
nificant statement about the La Fol-
latte seamen's act. America was un-
able to make headway with her mer-
chant marine before the war because
our navigation laws kept the price OF
labor higher for ships of American
than foreign registry.
Either the rest OF the world must pay
ITS labor as highly as does America or
tho United States must in some other
way try to overcome the advantage of
foreign countries. so it win be profitable
FOR the United States to engage in for
eiEn commerce with ships flying the
American flag.
Whole Question Is Involved.
The whole question of shipping and
big navies is involved in the freedom
contend that European countries know
pretty generally what the President
American merchant marine. They in
sist that when all the facts are known
and when Mr.. Wilson's position is de-
yeioped at the peace table American
business viii hnd that the President
will not permit sentiment to sway his
judgment on the necessity for recogni-
tSon. ..a.ex vi oceoisu fsase.j