The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1936-03-06
NATIONAL PRESS BLDG.


goes up to the jump.
Neutrality then fails to take it.
a Shell 1t faltered on the
neutrality question.
True, congress has re-enacted for an
other year the neutrality law that was
put through under pressure a year
ago but 1t did not have the necessary
courage to go into that question and
work out anything of a permanent
character. The result, I am con-
WINGED, is that as soon as there is any
excuse whatsoever, neutrality for the
United States will be nothing but a
shell.
I do not know, nor do I believe any
body can tell at this juncture whether
the United States ought to embark on
a rigid policy of isolation from affairs
of the world but that is question that
is subordinate at this moment. The
point is that congress, a year ago,
made a great show of neutrality and
put on second stage performance
only lately with the same theme song.
Since 1t has backed away from the
real issue it begins to appear that the
original action was but hollow mock
cry; that the politicians moved year
ago with the thought in mind that they
would not have to go on record so soon
and that they could make the country
feel it had elected statesmen. But, in
stead, their course has led them to
the point where decision had to be
made-and they have lodged it.
One of the reasons why this neu-
trality question has become so i'm
portant is the combination of circum-
stances that has developed in Eu-
rope. Those maneuvers have put our
congress on the spot and it, like so
many previous times, again has wav-
cred.
1t is difficult to forecast what is 60
ing to happen in Europe but there are
certain signs and portents that may
not be ignored. History, as we all
know, has habit of repeating itself
and it promises to repeat itself in a
hurry this time.
Let us look at the European pic
ture. On the one hand we have an
alignment OF France and England and
probably Russia. On the other, we see
Hitlerized Germany, Austria and Italy.
There has been nothing more tangible
thus far than a barring of fangs. That
is, no overt acts have been committed
but it always has been the case that
the snarling and showing of teeth
has provided the setting, the atmos-
phere, for more serious accusations.
1t may never happen that Germany or
Austria or Italy will take steps which
France or Russia could regard as an
invasion of national rights and then,
{ again, any one of them at any time
may accidentally or deliberately do
some minor thing that would provoke
hostilities.
The chief significance Of the re-
ported alignment of Italy with Ger
many and Austria is
NeW that the Central
Alignment Powers, as they
stood in 1914, have
been augmented by the strength Of
Fascist Italy. 1t means that the Ger
sea and the Mediterranean instead
of Just the North sea as occurred 20
years ago.
Coupled with that fact is the con-
dition of better defense for the Cen
trail Powers. If the agreement be-
tween Germany and Italy sticks, Ger
many has only the western and Rus
sian fronts to maintain. 1t allows for
a more compact military program be-
cause, instead of guarding against
Italy on the south. Germany has an
ally in that direction from which
sources of supply can be established.
The fresh understandings worked out
between France and England really
are nothing more than a restoration
of the arrangement that existed in the
World war. The British, on the sur
face at least, have no compact with
Russia but the French have very
definite agreement with the Soviet.
1t seems likely, therefore. that if hos
tilities should break out again, the
British and the Soviet will have no
difficulty in establishing pact Of
mutual help.
AS a sidelight, 1t seems to me that
the new developments rather turn the
spotlight on the policies of Pierre
Laval, former French foreign minis
ter. NJ. Laval, it will be remembered,
was ousted because of alleged pro-
Italian policies. He sought for months
to maintain friendship between France
and Italy because he feared to do 9TH
crwise would result in alignment of
Mussolini with Hitler. The bulk of
the French parliament disagreed with
him, however, and NJ. Laval was re-
placed by Foreign Minister Flandin.
Now, Europe has seen the prompt
desartion of NIuSsolini from the