Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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8 AMERICAN NOIE ON THE QUESTION OF MUNITION: Reminded of Selling War M. terials to Belligerent Nations. NOTE IS FRIENDLY IN TON! I'nitcd States Aillifrinj; t?> I'rincip! on Which Sin- Would Herself Depend in Case of War. Washington. Auk. 15.?The stal department tonight made public ii reply rejecting views advanced in tli recent Austrian note which content ed that exportation of war munitiot from America to Austria's enemit was conducted on such a scale as t be "not in consonance with the dot nition of neutrality." Though friendly in tone .the not tlatlv denies the Austrian contei tions, and recalls that that count! and Germany furnished munitions t Great Britain during the Boer \V;i when England's enemies could n< import such supplies. It insists thi the American government is purst ing a strictly neutral course and at .. ni. ..hinh iiiiiiij, iu <? lllll|lir "11 "llltll would depend for munitions in tli world's markets in case it should I: attacked by a foreign power. "The principles of internations law." the communication conclude "the practice of nations, the nationi safety of the United States and oth? nations without great military an naval establishments, the preventio of increased armies and navies, tf adoption of peaceful methods for tli adjustment of international differei ces, and, (inallj-, neutrality itself ai opposed to the prohibition Ov a nei tral nation of the exportation ( arms, ammunition, or other mun tions of war to belligerent power during the progress of the war." Pointing to a practical and sul stantial reason, why the Unite States, aside from the question < principle, advocates and practice unrestricted trade in military sui nlSoo f Vio n nta <loolo rnu "It has never been the policy this country to maintain in time i peace a large military establishing of stores of arms and ammunitU sufficient to repel invasion by a wel equipped and powerful enemy. It hi desired to remain at peace with t nations and to avoid an\ appearsn of menacing such peace by the thre of its armies and navies. In cons quence of this standing policy, ti United States would in the event attack by a foreign power, be at ti outset of war seriously, if not fatal! embarrassed by the lack of arms ai ammunition and by the means to pr duce them in sufficient quantities supply the requirements of nation defense. The United States has s ways depended upon the right ai power to purchase arms and aininui tion from neutral nations in case foreign attack. This right, which claims for itself, it cannot deny others." The United States asserts that WIIMIUI (IX V l UC l(j lilt* Ml it modify the rules of iuternatio.i usage during a war on account special conditions and declares tl idea of neutrality advanced by Am t?ria would "involve a neutral nut < In a mass of perplexities which won obscure the whole field of intern tional obligation, produce econon. confusion and deprive all eommer and industry of legitimate fields enterprise, already heavily burden* by the unavoidable restrictions war. Attention is directed to the fa that Austria and Germany before tl war produced a great surplus of wi munitions and sold them througho the world "especially to belligerent! and "that never during that peri< did either of them suggest or app the principle now advocated by tl imperial and royal government." A table of sales by Germany ar Austria to Great Britain during tl Boer War is appended to the not and it is suggested that had Austr and Germany refused to Rell arms Great Britain at that time "on tl ground that to do so would viola the spirit of striet neutrality, the ir perial and royal government mig with greater consistency and great force urge its present contention." The note was cabled to Ambass dor Penfleld at Vienna August 12. The text of the American reply fc Iowa In part: "The government of the IInlt< States has given careful consider tlon to the statement of the Imperii and Royal government in regard i the exportation of arms and ammim tlon from tlio TTnltofl fitotua ?? o countries al war with Austria-Ilui gary and Germany. The governmei of the United States notes with sati faction the recognition by the In perlal and Ttoval eovernment of ft i . . ' undoubted fact that its attitude wttt regard to the exportation of arm: Sand ammunition from the Unltei] States is prompted by its intention ti maintain the strictest neutrality am to conform to the letter of the pro vision of international treaties, bu 1 i is surprised to find the Imperial anc ivoyal government implying that th< observance of the strict principles ol the law under the conditions whicl i have developed in the present war li E insufficient, and asserting that this j government should go beyond th* long recognized rules governing sucl | traffic by neutrals and adopt meas ures to 'maintain an attitude of strici , parity with respect to both belliger te ent parties." "To this assertion of an obligatior " to change or modify the rules of In ternational usage on account of spe cial conditions the government of tin s United States cannot accede. The ? recognition of an obligation of this sort, unknown to the international practice of the past, would impost 1 upon every neutral nation a duty tc I , sit in judgment on the progress of a 'V war and to restrict its commercial in' tercourse with a belligerent whose II naval successes prevented the neutral from trade with the enemy. The con11 tention of the Imperial and Royal government appears to be that tlie advantages gained to a belligerent bv it .. . .. .. . ... us superiority on me sea snouid ui l(> equalized by the neutral powers b> the establishment of a system of noni Intercourse with the victor. The Im11 perial and Royal government confines s' its comments to arms and ammunition, but if the principle for whicl: *r it contends is sound it should appl> l<* with equal force to all articles of con 'n traband. A belligerent controllinf l( the high seas might possess an ample ,e supply of arms and ammunition bul be in want of food aqA. clothing. Or the novel principle titjrt equalizatlor , is a neutral duty, neutral nations ^ would be obliged to place an em bargo on such articles because one ol s* the belligerents could not obtaii them through commercial inter course. . "Hut, if that principle, so strongly ^ urged by the Imperial and ltoya government, should be admitted t( p-1 i obtain by reason of the superiority 1 n v??11 : * -a a-* * ui a uciiigcreui hi sea, ouglll 11 no J to operate equally as to a belligeren , superior on land? Applying this the j ory of equalization, a belligerent wh< lacks the necesaary munitions to con tend successfully on land ought to b< permitted to purchase them fron i neutrals, while a belligerent with ai abundance of war stores or with th at power to produce them should b 1 I debarred from such traffic. * * * lie J During the Boer War between Grea Britain and the South African repul lie | ( I lies the patrols of the coasts of neigh 'V ; boring neutral colonies by Dritis ! naval vessels prevented arms an ^ i ammunition reaching the Transvaa j j or the Orange Free State. The allie i republics were in a situation almos | identical in that respect with that i which Austria-Hungary and German iuuuiacivcs at tne present time , Yet, in spite of the commercial ise it lation of one belligerent, German sold to Great Britain, the other bel .t ligerenl, hundreds of thousands o kilos of explosives, gunpowder, eat ' tridges, sliot and weapons, and it i ' ' known that Austria-Hungarv als OL sold similar munitions to the sain lie | purchaser, though in smaller quant! ties. m j(i "It might he further pointed on I that during the Crimean War larg j(. quantities of arms and military store l>(> | were furnished to Itussia by Prussia! ot manufacturers; that during the re ,(j cent war between Turkey and Ital; (,C as this government is advised, arm and ammunition were furnished b t t the Ottoman government by Get ,1(? many; and that during the Halkan [ir War the belligerents were suppliei llt with munitions by both Austria-Hun gary and Germany. While these lat Kj ter cases are not analogous, as i the case of the South African Wat ,,e to the situation of Austria-Hungar and Germany in the present wat Vl j they nevertheless clearly indicate* le| the long established practice of th e I two empires in the matter of trad s0 in war supplies. I to | "In view of the foregoing state ' ments, this government is reluetan te! to believe that the Imperial an* r ' Royal government will ascribe to th United States a lack of Imnnrtiai r.^.. er j trality in continuing an legitiinat trade in all kinds of supplies used t a- render the armed forces of a belliger ent efficient, even though the circum ,1- stances of the present war preven Austria-Hungary from obtaining sucl id supplies from the markets of tlv a- United States, which have been an< al remain so far as the action ant to i policy of this government are con i- : cerned open to all belligerents alike if "Tint, in addition to the (juestioi n-1 of principle, there is a practical am iv substantial reason why the govern a- ment of the United States lias fron i_ ( the foundation of the Republic t< I#,; the present timp advocated and prac THE LANCASTER NEWS | ticed unrestricted trade in arms and 1 military supplies. * j "The United States has always dei pended upon the right aud power to | purchase arms and ammunition from j neutral nations in case of foreign i attack. This right, which it claims1 for itself, it cannot deny to others. j j "A nation whose principle and ! policy it is to rCly upon Internationalj obligations and international justice | to preserve its political and terri-j torial integrity might become thoj prey of an aggressive nation whose, policy and practice it is to increase ' its military strength during times of i L1 peace with the design of conquest, - unless the nation attacked can af'er. war had been declared, go into tliei i 1 markets of the world and purchase | the means to defend itself against ' the aggressor. "The general adoption by the 11a; tlons of the world of the theory that ? neutral powers ought to prohibit the I sale of arms and ammunition to bels ligerents would compel every nation > to have in readiness at all times sufii flcient munitions of war to meet any - emergency which might arise and to ' erect and maintain establishments I for the manufacture of arms and am-| munition sufficient to supply the II needs of its military and naval forces ', throughout the progress of a war. r * * * "Perceiving, as it does, that the ' adoption of the principle that it is the duty of a neutral to prohibit the sale of arms and ammunition to a 5 belligerent during the progress of a war would inevitably give the ad-1 i vantage to the belligerent which had r encouraged the manufacture of) - munitions in time of peace and which : had laid in vast stores of arms and : ammunition in anticipation of war. t the government of the United States i is convinced that the adoption of the i theory would force militarism on the > mill unrli ncninut Hint llni - versal peace which is the desire and f purpose of all nations which exalt 1 justice and righteousness in their re-j - lations with one another. "The government of the United 1 , States in the foregoing discussion of I the practical reason why it has ad-' } vocated and practiced trade in muni-! f tlonB of war. wishes to be underatood ! t as speaking with no thought or ex- j t pressing or implying any judgment | . with regard to the circumstances of, j the present war, but as merely put_ ting very frankly the argument in\ e this matter which has been conciu-i j sive in determining the policy of the ji United States. e "While the practi e nations, so e well Illustrated by .he practice of Austria-Hungary and Germany durt ing the South African Wat, and the manifest evil which would result J from a change of That practice reni dor compliance with the suggestions ,,! of the Imperial or Royal government j! out of the question, certain assertions appearing in the Austro-Hungarian statement as grounds for its contentions cannot be passed over without comment. These assertions are subl stantially as follows: | "( 1 ) That the exportation of arms and ammunitions from the United States to belligerents contravenes the preamble of the Hague convention No. 13 of 1907; (2> that it is incons sistent with the refusal of this govt eminent to allow delivery of supplies , to vessels of war on the high seas: (3) that 'according to all authorities on international law, who concern themselves more properly with the ! question,' exportation should be pre0, I vented when this traflic assumes such "s a form or such dimensions that the " neutrality of a nation becomes in-1 volved thereby.' V "As to the assertion that the ex-l si portation of arms and ammunition 0j contravenes the preamble of the Hague convention No. 13 of 1907, i O I this government presumes that refer; ence is made to the last paragraph of B. HILL, ? IVIN HILL, ? BHANK PKAY, ?Olfrt Tru$lee?. '' M ' ( me pica in Die which is as follows: I "| 'Seeing that, in this category of s ideas, these rules should not, in prin-j ' ciple. he altered, in the course of the ^ ! war. by a neutral power, except in a case where experience ims shown the 11 necessity for such change for the pro"l tection of the rights of that power.' p| "Manifestly the only ground to j change the rules laid down by the; '- convention, one of which, It should * he noted, explicitly declares that a| '1 neutral is not bound to prohibit thc: p exportation of contraband of war, Is - the necessity of a neutral power to f do so in order to protect its own! o rights. The right and duty to deter-1 - mine when this necessity exists rests - who me neutral, not with a belligt erent. It in discretionary, not man3 datory. If a neutral power does not e avail Itself of the right, a belligerent I is not privileged to complain, for In 1 doing so It would he In tho position - of declaring to the neutral power i. what is necessary to protect that i power's own rights. The Imperial 1 and Royal government cannot buiJ - perceive that complaint of this nni tare would invite just rebuke. :? "With reference to the asserted - 'inconsistency of the course adopted1 i . ; , w'>/. , AUGUST 17, 1915. by this government in relation to M| the exportation of arms and ammu- |1| nition and that followed in not allowing supplies to be taken from its ports to ships of war on the high seas, it is only necessary to point out tliut the tirnhihit ion of sunnlies to ships of war rests on the principle i P< that a neutral power must not per-1 mit is territory to become a navalI base for either belligerent. * * j Furthermore, this government is unaware that any Auatro-Hungarlan P] ship of war has sought to obtainj supplies from a port in the United States, either directly or indirectly, j ' 1 * * * "In view of the positive assertion in the statement of the Imperial and Royal government as to the unani- Ar mlty of the opinions of text writers' :ni as to the exportation of contraband l'c being unneutral, the government has ,n) caused a careful examination of tho,"e principal authorities on international law to be made. As a result of this : r examination it has come to the conelusion that the Imperial and Royal '1'4 government has been misled and has tlM inadvertently made an erroneous as- ( 1 sertion. l,ess than one-fifth of thej; ' reservedly the prohibition of the ex- 11 port of contraband. Several of those who constitute this minority admit lel that the prnctice of nations has been i lo other wise. Ib may not be inoppor-' tune to direct particular attention to the declaration of the German au-| ,a' thority, Paul Kmicke, who states! n,< that, at the beginning of a war, bel- Re' legerents have never remonstrated against the enactment of prohibitions ,,v on trade in contraband, but adds 'that such prohibitions may be considered as violations of neutrality, i 1111 or at least as unfriendly acts, if they 1 pt> are enacted during a war with the111' purpose to close unexpectedly the re' sources of supply to a party which i heretofore has relied on them.' ' "The government of the United I States deems It unnecessary to ex-.. I Mil tend further at the present time a I consideration of the statement of the Anstro-Hungarian government. The" principles of international law, the j practice of nations, the national | j safety of the United States and other g nations without great military and naval establishments, the prevention of increased armies and navies, the adoption of peaceful methods for the adjustment of international differ- cq ences, and, finally, neutrality itself, ^ are opposed to the prohibition by a t(| neutral nation of the exportation of #u arms, ammunition or other munitions of of war to belligerent powers during M( the progress of the war." wl e8 REINFORCEMENTS TO ROIUIER. pi . stl Additional Troop** Sent to l/owfr Kio jj( Grande Valley. Brownsville, Texas, Aug. IB.?Additlonal United States troops 1o strengthen the forces in the lower m Rio Grande region begun arriving HO here tonight. When all the troops ordered here arrive. Colonel Bloch- ex soni, at Fort Brown, will have about I 2,000 men under his command. The l>r arrival of reinforcements has yy brought a feeling of security to citi- ca zona along this section of the border. ;l The outbreak in the lower Rio j,r Grande valley, reported to have fol- ?i. lowed the "plan of San Diego" ep-,tj, pears to have been completely quell a|1 <>d. Captain Fox of the Texas Rang- j j)t, ers said today he believed all the w| leaders of the alleged plan had been , j,| driven into hiding or killed. DOUBLY PROVEN l<nnen*tcr Headers Can No l/ongcr Doubt the Kvhlence. 'I his Lancaster citizen testified long ago. Told of quick relief?of undoubted benefit. The facts are now confirmed. a Such testimony Is complete?the evidence conclusive. It forms convincing proof of merit. L. P. Clyburn, French St., Lancnsj ter, says: "My kidneys were inactive and I had backache. Doan'a Kidney Pills, procured at the Standard Drug Co., rid me of the troubue." (Statement given March 25th, 1911.) OVER THREE YEARS LATER. Mr. Clyburn said: "I have had no further trouble with my kidneys i since I used Doan's Kidney Pills." Price 50c, at all denlers. Don't simply ask for a kidney remedy?get Doan's Kidney Pills?the same thai Mr. Clyburn had. Foater-Milburn Co., Props., Buffalo. N. Y. Notice of Mt. C'arniel Camp Meeting for I PI 5. The camp meeting will convene on Wednesday, September 1st, 1915. No person or persons will be allowed to sell anything within one-half mile of said camp grounds. This rule will be enforced to the full extent of the law. RJEV. T. P.. McCAIN, Pastor. A. J. KNOX. Secretary. A. T. THOMPSON, Chairman. A. E. PEAY, I. C. ROHINSON. DTE Ti) MEXICO IS MADE PUBLH tople to Whom It is Ad dressed Are Importuned to Stop Quarreling. EACE IS END SOUGHT Int limit ion of Armed Intrrventioi or Concealed Threats Are Found in l<etter. Washington, Aug. 14.?The Pan nerican appeal to Mexico, now be K delivered to the chiefs of fac ins and governors of states, wai ide public here tonight by the stati partment. Without even an intimation o nted intervention, it calls upon th< iders to meet somewhere in Mex >, on neutralized ground, in a con rence "to adopt the tirst steps nee sarv to the constitutional recon ruction of the country" and to is o a call for immediate elections le services of the United States 01 y of the other Pan-American con rees are offered as intermediariearrange the meeting. The appeal although addressed t< o [milium mm iiiiiiiui v icaui-i o ken on the form on an announce ?nt to the Mexican people them IveR. As made public by the stat? partment the document is preface* this announcement: "The Mexican people are informe* at the following communlcatior s been sent to many promtnen rsons in Mexico who possess au ority or military power within th* public." Then follows the appeal, dated a ashlngton. August 11: "The undersigned, the secretary o ite df the United States .the am ssadors extraordinary and plenipo itlary of Brazil, Chile and Argen ia, and the envoys extraordinar; d ministers plenipotentiary of Boli i, Uruguay and Guatemala, accred d to the government of the Unite* ates of America, acting severally *1 independently, unanimously sen* you the following communication "Inspired by the most sincer Irit nf A m I r?n r? frotAmitv om nvinced that they rightly Interpre e earnest wish of the entire con tent, have met informally at tin ggestion of the secretary of stat< the United States to consider th exican situation and to ascertaii tiether their friendly and disinter ted help could be successfully em oyed to re-establish peace and con itutional order in our slster-repub "In the heat of the frightful strug e which for so long has steeped ii ood the Mexican soil, doubtless al ay well have lost sight of the din iving effects of the strife upon th ost vital conditions of the nations istence, not only upon the life am lerty of the inhabitants, but on th estige and security of the country e cannot doubt, however?no on n doubt?that in the presence o nvmnillhalln 1 >- ?i._i U|. p>*? n\ i rum lllt'I others of America, recalling t em these disastrous effects, askin em to save their motherland fron i abyss no one can doubt, we r?> at--that the patriotism of the inei lio lead or aided in any way th oody strife will not remain unmov f FOR ? ?? ? Tl When you want i KllPS that will dis Y g count anything yoi ? have ever hail, just come t< ? us and look over our larg< assortment of rugs of bes t. weaves and latest designs i ? V | Perhaps t Linoleums your kuch ????? en f 1 o o ] m i needs a new piece of Lino leum. There's long life h every piece we sell, and th< designs are so varied as t< r suit any taste. 4^ We want you to come in f really are of very high qui and there has been absolut feel that you must wait ur ? are more than welcome at f j F jy& L :h ' 7^1 ' ed; no one can doubt that each and every one of theni, measuring In his ' own conscience his share in the re- < I sponsibilities of past misfortune and p looking forward to his share in the glory of the pacification and reconstruction of the country will respond. nobly and resolutely, to this friendly appeal and give their best efforts to opening the way to some saving ac tlon. "We. the undersigned, believe that if the men directing the armed movements in Mexico?whether political or military chiefs?should agree to 1 meet either in person or by delegates, far from the sound of cannon, and with no other inspiration save the - thought of their afflicted land, there - to exchange ideas and to determine - the fate of the country?from such s action would undoubtedly result the u, strong and unyielding agreement reI qulsite to the creation of a provisf'ional government, which should * adopt the first steps necessary to the - constitutional reconstruction of the - country?and to issue the first and - most essential of them all, the imme diate call to general elections. "An adequate place within the . Mexican frontiers, which for the nur r pose might be neutralized, should - serve as the seat of the conference; 3 and in order to bring about a conference of this nature the undersign- ^ ? ed, or any of them, will willingly , upon invitation, act as intermediaries - to arrange the time, place, and other - details of such conference, if this ats tion can in any way aid the Mexican 1 people. "The undersigned expect a reply to ' this communication within a reason1 able time, and consider that such a 1 time would be 10 days after the " communication is delivered, subject s to prorogation for cause." Then are appended the names of 1 Secretary Lansing, the ambassadors from Barzil, Chile and Argentina and f the ministers from Bolivia, Uruguay * and Guatemala. The appeal went forward today to ' Generals Carranza and Villa and to * more than a score of other military t * and political leaders throughout Mex" ico, being transmitted by cable, tele* graph and wireless, whichever methy od was required to reach the desired 1 destination. Replies are asked for : within 10 days after the appeal Is re0 ceived, although the time may be ex1 tended for cause. f The conferees confidently expect * within a reasonable-time enough fae vorable replies to warrant them in 0 extending their aid to arrange for 0 the proposed peace congTess. 11 General Carranza's attitude to* '* ward the appeal still is a matter of * -peculation here. Although his posl* - tion thus far has been regarded as '* defiant, it Is hoped that the friendly tone of the appeal may lead him to - open negotiations with the conferees. 11 It is generally believed he will reply II by making counter proposals upon . which he would agree to join In a e 1 peace conference. ' Should C'arranza make no reply whatever, it is expected the coneJ fcrees will accept the invitation of ' , other factions in Mexico to arrange e 'details for a peace conference wfthf out his ratification. o ^ t'ycloue on Isle of I'alins. I g, Havana, Aug. 16,?Wireless ren ports from the Isle of Palms state - that a cyclone there has caused damii age estimated at several hundred e dollars to the grapefruit, orange and - other crops. ?? _ _ A YOU I , x r y?u want a X tarpeiScarpet that will JT 1 give you aolid T 3 service and be an ornament jr to your home, we have V B them in urreat. vnriAtv a t There is nothing in the A i. local market to compare 2L with them. X f % P. iL, Nearly every- X " Furniture body needs 1 r some Furni- ? . ture of some kind or other. Y 3 You will find a little of v everything to select from 4r 0 at this store, and every d piece warranted to be of the ju best. X, and inspect these goods. They J ality?far above the average? J ely no advance in price. Don't . itil you are ready to buy. You all times. CKEYCO. !