THE UNITED STATES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15140, 2 December 1914, Page 7

THE UNITED STATES.

ATTITUDE TO THE WAX

MAINTENANCE OF STRICT NEUTRALITY.

Certain fetAitenienta reported to have been ma do \fv President "Wilson since the outbreak of tlio war and cabled news jus to iho growth of trade between the United States and "Germany in contraband goods, has led to the more or less openly expressed idea in New Zealand that the President is •'weak' 1 in tlio attitude ho has taken up and that, putting it mildly, thero should he, in view, of the practical blood relationship between the- two countries, a more friendly feeling towards Britain on the part of the United States. The subconscious attitude on tho part of New Z c a la nde rs may perhaps bo expressed as one of disappointment. Against- the suggestion that there is any lack of friendliness between the two peoples or that in any way the United States Government, is not '•playing the game." Mr R. B. Beats, a citizen of tin; United States., who has In-en-resident in Christehureh for tlio past twelve years, outers a dignified protest. With him yesterday a. "Press"' interviewer had a loiik conversation with a" view to securing a reasoned exposition of the attitude bt-inpc taken up by the United States, tho manner of its enforcement and the practical outcome thereof. Touching first upon the question of trade and contraband. Mr Urals emphasised the point that the State Department at Washington had declared that in _international lav.*; ajiy American individual or firm had a perfect right to sell to all belligerents anything whatever —eveu munitions of war—and, furthermore, that such sales might bo made to the belligerent Governments direct. That, t»aid Mr Boals, is a purely neutral act, for it puts all belligerents, in theory, on an equal footing. But in fact how does-it work out? Plainly, it is of milch greater benefit to tho Allies than to Germany. There hayo boon cabled out- accounts of cer-" tain seizures -of suspicious goods consigned from America and thought to be designed for Germany, and this has, produced, perhaps, an unthinking condemnation of tho United States for selling goods to Germany. But thoso who allow that thought to become uppermast do not pause for a moment and make this iunther .step in reasoning. If Germany is securing, or attempting to secure, goods, from the States, what are the AHies doing? That is my point. The Allies are doing tho same and on a scalo of which tho New Zealand people can have no idea.. At the present time supplies of all kinds are pouring into Canada, Great Britain, and the Allied countries . from the United States, and are reaching their destination practically without let or hindrance. But in the case of Germany every cargo despatched foj- her has a ton to one chanco against ite.safo arrival, because- of tho command which Britain has over tho soa." In effect, therefore, the Allies are benefiting nioro by the attitude of tho States than is Germany. . "Just to show tho extent of> the trade which has cropped up," "pursued Mr Beals, "I-can cito si few ■particulars from memory. The American Woollen Company is supplying the British Government with largo quantities of khaki. From New England manufacturers of cases of rubber boots are going io v ßf;itain. A firm in Indianapolis has a- largo contract for sweaters. A friend, recently arrived from Chicago, informs tno that a firm there Had boon asked by Britain to quote on 3,000,000 dollars "worth of harness and 2,000.000 dollars worth of blankets. Meat is being sent across by tho ship-load, both from New Y6rk and Boston, for tho Allies. A largo number of Americans aro now employed in ►scouring tho Southern States for horses for the French Army, and in connoxion with this, one firm in Pittsburg has a contract to supply 3,000,000 horseshoes. A largo stoel factory in Lancaster (Ponn.) is working on a contract for 000 guns' for the French Army, and an Arms Company in New Haven (Conn.) is sending 10,000,000 rounds of ammunition. Then the French Government has placed .orders for 500,000 rolls of barbed wire, and tho Russian Government, . I noticed, was purchasing chloroform literally by tho ton. Finally, the bis aeroplane •AmericaV built for tho Trans-Atlan-tic flight, was sold to Britain, and despatched from New York in.charge-of an Army officer on tho Maurotania.--"Thoro seems to be an impression," added. Mr Beals," ''that tho States'aro doing: their utmost to supply Germany, and this feeling has been ono of tho elements in tho prohibition of tho ex-port-of wool to thn. United States and other neutral countries from tho British Dominions. AH I can sn.v is that my own firm, sinco the outbreak of war. lias sent froni Boston 1,000,0001b of wool to -Britain, and not an ounce- to Germany. The objoction to- our supplying Germans with goods is not that wo aro making money thereby, but to tho fact that they are getting goods from us. Well, if Britain fears that Germany may benefit by -American''f-up*-plies, she must admit that the Allies are tliomselvfjs benefiting infinitely more by supplies from tho same source. Whatever gets in Germany gets there, tio to epeak, by the skirt, of its teeth, while the Allies' supplies co forth with but little risk." To the suggestion tfeat possibly trouble might occur over consignments of contraband to neutral Mr Beals replied by instancing tbo case of tho Rockefeller carrying illuminating oil to T>cnmark, which, fof a time,' was held by tho British Government. After negotiations, however, that Government was .satisfied that the oil was for Denmark only, especially as Denmark had placed an embargo on oil going to Germany, and tho cargo waa allowed "toi proceed- Mr Beals eaid that dozens of disputes about contraband cargoes were bound to arise before the •vav was over, but he, was sure they would all bo satisfactorily settled. A friendly understanding had been arrived at between Britain, United States, and Holland; concerning food shipments to tho last-named place, and theso wcro now being permitted under definite conditions, _ tho chief one being that Holland was, in honour, bound to prevent such shipments reaching Germany. "This is proof to mc." said Mr Beals, . "that very excellent relationships exist between London and Washington. In reality the' forbearanco showir in these diolomatic- negotiations has been remarkable.-Jhe equanimity, also, with which the United States saw Japan enter tho struggle on the side of tho Allies may be taken as ono final proof of the friendly temper of both the Government and the people- of the United Siiites." -..-■;. 'Referring to th.o violations of the neutrality of iho United States occasioned by the despatch from her rxrtfof coal and supplies for German vessels, and the susj-ected presence of secret wireless- stations on her shores, Mr Beals declared that he firmly TieJieved that the United States, was doing all that could be legitimately expected to enforce the- maintenance of neutrality. While President Wilson was accused by many at the present time-of being weak, he held, paradoxical as it might seem, that this apparent weakness was the outcome of one of his best qualities— his ultra-conscientiousness and desire that absolute neutrality fihonld be maintained towards ail' belligerents. "I believe." declared ill- Beak, "that be is doing all in his power to prevent unneutral acts in tho United States by the -agents' of bollicerents. If there have been any violations of this attitude, they must be held to be due to

administrative defect* —carelessnVss of an official, or ignorance of an official. In tlic absolutely new conditions that arose, many of the thousands of Customs officials would be ignorant at first of the course required to enforce neutrality and so breaches might be committed for which the Government could hardly b*> held responsible. Individual favouritism, ho granted, might be shown by an official to one belligerent or the other, and to show that this was iiist as likely to opornto. to Britain's ndvantflßo a«,not. Mr Heats related an.incident at Now 'Wk which he believed to In? well authenticated. In the early days oi the war a German vessel "loft Now "York with guns mounted, but at the mouth of the hnrbour was met by a t nited Mates warship, and sent back to have the puns dismounted, and left in tr.e dock. Next day a British vessel similarly armed emerged. She. likewise, was turned hack, 'Mmfc with the hint," said Mr Beals. "that it would do if she merely dismounted th»»m till she got out to sen." This hint was acted on. and the guns iaken to sea-in the vessel's hold. Public opinion in the Vnited it was added, was naturally divided, in view of the racial composition of the population. The great bulk of oduo.ited opinion was overwhelmingly on the sitie of the Allies, but it was useless io deny that there was a wo-Germa:« section fed upon the "yellow Pro>s." which was now reported to have, been pur« chased by German money. Asked'if it would not bo wise for the Government to exercise some censorship in its own interests, and io avoid being involved, possibly. in war, over the inoro violent and '"obvious" of 4ho Gorman Jies, Mr Beals said he agreed that anything: of an incendiary character should bo suppressed, but so far a_s a check upon genuine news or '"'alleged" news wa« concerned, lie could not see how it could be done satisfactorily. T!;o Government -would have to be porfeci iy neutral, and treat tho pro British paper as firmly as the pro-German. In this connexion it would be recalled ihat a surprising rumour or.cc spread round the world "that nineteen Gorman warships had been stink by the British Fleet. Weii, this supposed fact was --onspicuously published in all proBriiish papers. How could tho Government ascertain what was true and censor tho false news,? The outrageous statements of the German emissaries eventually killed thoniselvos, for at least one New York paper had refused to publish anything emanating from Count IJernstorff. •"Whilo granting tho cleavage of opinion I have no doubt in my own mind," summed up Mr Beals, "that right- through the whole country tho sentiment of the people is very largely in favour of tho Allies. I have this riow not only personally from visiting Americans, but also from correspondence, ■with friends in all parts of tho country." - "Then your chief points, Mr Beats," concluded the interviewer, "arc that tho sentiment of the people of tho United States is overwhelmingly with the. Allies; that the Government is strictly neutral, and that the President is honestly doing his best fo hold that strict lino of neutrality between all parties: and, finally, that while somo trade may be €eiiic: done 'legitimately enough with Germany, infinitely more is befng done with tho Allies, and that in this fashion they are reaping decided benefits from the United StatesP" "Yes. that sums it up, , ' agreed Mr Beals.