Evening star., 1936-08-09
Ifs and Butts of Neutrality.

Much of the talk in Congress last
was directed at the part the munitions
makers and other purely commercial in
terests play in dragging a nation unsus-
pectingly into war. The idea was that
we, as a people, are determined to main
tain our neutrality, especially as concerns
European affairs, and that much of our
safety lies in the PRONUNCIATION of effec-
tive rules and regulations designed to
curb the incentive to gain commercially
at the expense of war. Undoubtedly
there is substance and point to the idea
But Frances efforts to gain a neutrality
compact among Europe's principal ma
tions demonstrate the strength of emo
tional, or political, barriers to peace as
opposed to the mere commercial barriers
France has now received, in reply to
her request for some sort of agreement
not to send ANY arms or war materials
to Spain, promises of acceptance of this
neutrality pledge "in principle" But the
acceptances are so hedged about with
IFS ands and butts that the difficulty of
any immediate agreement is made
obvious. And while this long drawn
series Of diplomatic exchanges starts its
circumlocutory way, the shells are falling
50 near to powder barrels that the peace
Of all Europe is in imminent danger Any
one Of scores of stray sparks would be
enough to set off the explosions and
start the conflagration.
Russia agrees with France that there
must be neutrality-but certain states"
must halt their assistance to the rebels
and Portugal must be included in the
agreement.
Italy agrees with France that there
must be neutrality-but Italy reserves
the right to ask for Qualification" of
her position in the agreement.
Portugal agrees with France that there
must be neutrality-but it must be re-
membered that Portugal occupies a
peculiar position arising from her geo.
graphical proximity to the scene of
conflict.
Germany agrees with France that
there must be neutrality-but Russian
neutrality must be assured, and that is
apparently more important than any
adherence to an agreement.
Only Englands acceptance was free
from hedging over conditions.
Az VIII
Not, assuredly, because of the oppor-
tunity for the munitions makers to gain
q few extra dollars from the bloody
misery Of Spain, but because the people
Of all Europe are closely bound by emo
tional ties with one or the other side of
the conflict in Spain. These emotions,
in turn, are wrapped up in the form of
political ideas that for the time being
are in the ascendency, or decline, as the
case may be, In half dozen European
governments. They are so strong that
the horror of class struggle in Spain,
painted for all to see in the blood of the
victims, is not enough to make neu-
trality and the prevention of greater
horror by its spread beyond Spain seem
wholly desirable.
One might think that the nations of
Europe, with their scars from the latest
war still unhealed, would cling to the
hope Of neutrality as a drowning man
catches at straw. But that is not
the case. Neutrality in principle" yes,
but in practice Germany must watch
Russia, France must watch Germany
and italy, and triggers have been filed
to hair so as to shoot first if the other
fellow reaches for a gun.
Civil war in Spain, as horrible as it
might be. should in theory be easily con-
fined within the borders of Spain, espe-
eially when the cost of failure to do so
Is 50 overwhelmingly apparent. But in
Spain men are dying for an idea, and
other men In other lands are willing to
do the same thing. There is an emo
tional barrier to the principle of neu-
trality which makes it seem almost un-
attainable except in theory and on paper