The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-10
THE ROAD TO WAR

CENATOR KEY PITTMAN takes the public partly
~ into his confidence concerning what is being
done to the neutrality bill behind the closed doors of
his Foreign Relations Committee. And the story he
tells Is somewhat disappointing to those of who
had hoped that positive and wel-rounded policy
would be defined in this session of Congress.
The members of his committee, the Senator in
dicates, have about decided to pass bill containing
only provisions about which there is practically no
controversy thereby avoiding extended debate and
making it possible for Congress to adjourn by May
l. He predicts that the expiring lily law with
its embargo of war implement exports and disap-
prevail of Americans travelling in
begerent vessels will be extended for another year
And probably, he says, a ban on war credits will be
added
OF course, SUCH an incomplete law would be better
that at ALL And it might suffice to keep us ar
peace with the rest of the world for another year. If
meanwhile nothing breaks out serious than the
thus-far isolated Italo-Ethiopian conflict. But,
believe it will prove pitifully inadequate policy
the guns of any two great powers start barking.
We need only think of what might have happened
few months ago when Britain's navy bristled in
the Mediterranean, the League of Nations talked
rously of drastic sanctions and the Italian high
mard countered with the threat that II Duces death
squadron of the air prepared for the worst and
when-this is especially signiicant-American bust
ness their appeties whetted by the prospect of
expansive markets, defanty claiming the
right to sell their goods and take their profits.
If unfortunate incident in the Mediter-
in those tense days had exploded over Europe
we might even be cabling protests about the
sinking of American vessels and considering ways of
advancing credit so that beigerents could continue
purchases necessary to maintain false war prosper
ty i'll this country. We might be once more on that
treacherous road to war.
VNTHAT futile political gesture it is to forbid
W credits, and neglect to restrain those things
which make credits unacceptable In the early days
of the World War, the State Department was
sdainant against floating of loans in this coun-
try. But when the Wilson Administration had to
choose between that neutrality policy and collapse Of
our boom, it yielded.
And when the market for private credits had been
MIXED dry, expediency trumphed again Our gov
eminent itself then supplied the Allies with the
credit needed to shore up the boom, and sent more
, than a million young into Europes front lines.
Some of those young men--and nearly all of that
credit-never back
If even to try to keep "disentangled and
free" from the next holocaust, the least We can do
Is erect safeguards against repetition of mistakes
which we know contributed to our ENHANCEMENT in
the last
Yet like Senator Hiram Johnson rant about
freedom of the seas, and demand that our Navy
protect American trade wherever it goes,
And others in Congress insist that no restrictions
be placed on the products of their districts. And
Administration leaders like Senator Pittman wilt be-
fore this short-sighted bellicosty.
They shrink before the threat of Senate filibus-
ter They want to adjourn and go home by May !.
The weather is uncomfortable in Washington in the
summer time