Evening star., 1936-01-07

placated, however with larger orders
from the allies which much more
than offset our loss Of trade with
Germany. These allied orders were
tremendous and caused us to
quite overlook the fact that our
neutral policy was no longer one flnd-
ing us furnishing munitions to both
sides. 1t was our increasing commerce
with the Allies upon which our pros
perity now depended. Who doesn't
remember how bitterly severe were
our notes of protest to Germany when
Germany, in retaliation of the British
blockade, used the submarine to
destroy commerce upon which the
allies were dependent. But, while
this business with the Allies was
maintaining marvellous prosperity
for US and while we were counting
as great thing so long as we kept
out Of it, we were nevertheless highly
resolved to continue our neutrality
so called
Loan Policy Was Abandoned.
The Allies soon exhausted their own
means OF buying from us. They needed
American credit. Our permissive neu-
trality policy of the hour forbade
loans and credits. but 1t appears that
such pressure was brought as caused
the administrators of that policy to
turn their back upon it. 1t was con-
cluded, by that administration. that
while loans should be prohibited to
any nation at war, credits would be
countenanced. Our own economic we'll
being was so dependent upon the con-
tinuing boom market of war that we
would only cut our own throats by
refusing the credit that would let the
Allies continue buying from us! So,
for a time, the Allies bought upon
credit furnished by Americans. But
the time comes when individual
credit is exhausted and the Allies
need large loans If they are to con-
tinue buying American supplies. II
these loans couldn't be had Europe
couldn't continue buying from us!
Somewhere the strings we're pulled
that caused our neutrality administra-
tors to permit loans to the Allies con-
trary to our neutrality policy-a dis
cretionary policy. To have insisted
against loans would have ended the
profits and the prosperity of Ameri-
cans flowing from Europe's war!
"Ah, business continues good; pros
perity remains on every hand! War
isn't such bad thing when de don't
have to be in it! But we said, look
at those Germans; they are destroying
American cargoes going to England
and France and sinking English pas
senger vessels with Americans on
board! Maybe something ought to be
done about it! But, whatever we do,
let's rot get into that war; That
was our reasoning at the hour. How
of success in staying out of a war
politically while economically we stayed
in it; how childish this permissive flip
flop neutrality policy of ours and our
belief that we could go on and on
supplying the sinews of war to one
or even both sides and avoid ourselves
being ultimately drawn into the en-
gaSemenG WIN our lives anu ouf loi-
tunes at stake.
well, to make long story short,
our prosperity, which at the moment
was our commerce with the Allies. de-
manded a more and more warlike at
titude on our part. Our rights On
the high seas. our commerce is de-
clared in jeopardy! And then. 10
and behold, along comes our Ambas-
sador at London, Mr.. Page. with the
alarming word by cablegram to Presi-
dent Wilson that the approach crisis
has gone beyond the ability OF the