The Omaha guide., 1935-11-16
KELLY MILLER
SAYS
The Effect of Neutrality on the
Negro and Italian Vote.

likely to have important political
repencussions in the United States.
Thu administration has an
nounced he policy of neutrality
and its firm intention to steer
clear of European entanglements
at all hazards. An embargo has
been placed on trad in war ma
terials with either belligerent by
Congress. President Roosevelt has
admonished all Am ricans that
they travel on belligerent ships at
their own risk. This attitude,
while impartial on its face, as be-
tween TIE tao bellir rents, in eff
feet, works hardships on Italy
alon The Ethiop.ans have
no ships with which to trade or on
which to travel.
The situation which confronts
President Roosev 1t today is quite
similar to that which confronted
President Woodrow Wilson just
before we entered the World War.
President Wilson indulg d in loud
preachments as to neutrality, but
his administration leaned back
wards IN the direction of the AL
lies as against the Central pow
ers. Both bellig rents ruthless
" violeted our immemorial doc
Urine Of the freedom of the seas
which President Roosevelt has
taeitly surr ndered. England was
far sinner than Germany in this
regard. The sinking of the Lusi-
tania with American passengers
on board caused h e administra-
tion to reverse its policy of neu-
trality and ent r the war enthusi-
astically on the side of the Allies.
President Wilson was reelected
in 1916 on the rallying ery-''he
kept us out of war" But the
chief glory Of his reputation rests
upon the fact that he plunged us
into war, of which the League of
Nations, his brain child, is the
only redecming aftermath. Will
liam Jennings Bryan, the peerless
Commoner, then Secretary of
State, resigned his portfolio be-
he could not agre with his
chief that the sinking Of the
Lusitania justified plunging this
ration into war. Who was right.
Wilson or Bryan?
Tbs anology between the pre-
war conditions under Woodrow
Wilson and under Fraklin D..
Roos welt run all but on all tours.
BY taking sides with the Allies
against the Central powers, Presi-
dent Wilson alienated the politi-
cal support of practically
every G rman-American In the
United States. II is perfectly ma
tural that our foreign-born citi-
zens will feel the call of the blood
when ever th-ir native land is inn
periled. In 1918 President Will
son appealed to the nation to re-
turn the Democratic Congress in
sympathy with his war policies.
Ths nation ruthlessly ignored his
partizan appeal and returned a
Republican House by a large ma
jority. There car be little doubt
that the solid German vote h d
very much to do with this result.
Had President Wilson retained his
health and vigor and stood for
reelection in 1920, there is little
doubt that this same German vote
would have persisted in it's antag-
onistic attitude and contributed its
full weight towards his defeat.
Likewise President Roosevelt
in proclaiming a neutrality which
works chiefly to the detriment of
the Italian nation will ALLEVIATE
many voters of that race. The loss
of political support on part of the
Nationals, whose native country
is involved in war, is the risk
which any administration will
have to run. But the high-minded
patriotism which is believed to
actuate President Roosevelt will
not be swerved to the right nor
left by such political %considera-
tions. 81
The Italian vote is a large and
significant one, especially in the
great cities on the Eastern sea
board where the Presidents politi-
cal fortunes just now stand great
" in need Of reinforcement. The
Italian vote, however, is not like
the Irish which is almost unwean-
ably attached to a single party.
1t is quite largely Republican,
which of itself, will have no eff
feet in relieving the blow which
wholesale desertion of erstwhile