Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-02-20
Keep America Out
of War!
Editorial by
SEN. ROBERT M. LAFOLLETTE. JF

Passage of the Thomas resolution
/ for the continuation of the present
makeshift Neutrality act will very
likely destroy the present Opportuni-
ty to write really effective and sig
niticant neutrality law.
Congress near the end of the last
session passed an act providing tenn
porary arms embargo which expires
March 1. This measure was hasty
compromise and failed to deal with
several problems which are vital to
comprehensive and effective neu-
trality policy.
On the basis of their investigation
of the factors leading to American
participation in the last war members
of the Senate Munitions committee
recommended to the Senate a proposal
providing for a mandatory embargo
upon all loans and credits to bel
ligerent nations, an embargo upon the
expectation of munitions and nipple
ments of war to belligerents, an EN-
barge upon the expectation of all war
contraband which does not fall under
the definition of munitions unless the
buyer will agree to ACCEPT full re-
sponsibility for the delivery of the
goods without the use of American
ships or the American flag, the Ii
censng of all munition makers and
exporters. and the denial of passports
to Americans intending to travel in
war zones or on the ships of belliger-
ent nations.
Instead of enacting this program
based upon the investigation of the
Munitions committee. congress finally
accepted an incomplete and tempo rary
compromise. 1t ignored the question
of an embargo upon loans and credits
to belligerent nations. The prOvi-
sion for an embargo upon munitions
and war implements was only tenn
porary. 1t did not attack the all
important question of wartime trade
with belligerents in the goods which
are considered contraband of war and
still cannot be classified as munitions
or war implements.
Trade in commodities like oil, cot
ton, iron, and similar raw materials.
which cannot be called arms or NUM-
tions but are still vitality essential
to belliserent nation in the conduct
of a war, cannot safely be ignored if
we wish to keep this country out of
another foreign war
Aside from the temporary arms en-
barge feature and the provision for
hn ict, inn of al m X
ers and exporters with the State de-
partment. the present Neutrality act
is not mandatory but only peTmissive
in character. 1t does not direct; it
merely authorizes the president to
prohibit Americans from travelling Oh
ships of belligerent nations except at
their own risk, 20 restrict or prohibit
the entry of belligerent submarines
into American waters or American
ports, and to prohibit the delivery
of men or munitions from American
ports to belligerent ships at sea.
The Investigations of the Senate
Munitions committee have shown very
clearly that neutrality is more than
problem of executive discretion. We
should have learned lesson from our
CHASTITY experience in the last war.
The lack of control over this cOun-
try's financial and trade relations
with belligerents resulted in vast eco
nomic entanglements with one group
of warning nations. Ultimately this
great stake in the success of that
group of belligerents dragged us into
the vortex of war with it's tragic sac
rifice of men and money during the
conflict to be followed a few years
later by the worst depression in his
tory
I am confident that the American
people do not want to see such
thing happen again. To avoid ano-
Their catastrophe Congress must act
to implement by comprehensive and
mandatory legislation policy OF
strict neutrality.
Equally important to the future
peace of the United States is the pas
sage at this session of the Munitions
committees bin for taxing the pro-
fits out of war; This measure has
had exhaustive study by that COM
mlttee, been faVOraDiy reported Dy the
Senate committee on Military At
fairs and is now pending before the
Senate Finance committee.
These measures can be passed at
this session of congress. To enact
the Thomas resolution continuing the
present weak and inadequate law Is
only to dodge the vital issues involved
and perhaps defeat for long time
to come the enactment of measures
to prevent our being drawn into ano-
Their war Such action if it is taken.
will be a major blunder upon the part
of the Roosevelt administration be-
cause in the last analysis it must as
sumo responsibility if this opportunity
to safeguard our neutrality is frit-
tered away.