Evening star., 1936-01-07

years Lansing was custodian OF our
neutrality. Yet. during these years
he, House and Page were moving defi-
nitely to take us into the war on
Britain's side. Having the settled con-
viction,' this neutral Secretary Of
State writes Of the beginning Of his
service, that eventually this country
would enter the war on the side OF
the Allies. I prepared for my own
guidance a memorandum as to our
foreign policies based on the hypo-
thesis that the United States would
join in the conflict against the CEN
trail powers And then in his memo
randum he wrote: Germany must not
be permitted to win this war or to
break even. American public opinion
must be prepared for the time which
may come when we will have to cast
aside our neutrality and become one
of the champions of democracy
"First reaction upon reading these
confessions Is Of anger over how
America was actually played with
and jobbed In the name Of a dis
cretionary neutrality policy by an
administration that was enjoying the
confidence of the people as one de-
termined to keep us out of war. The
reaction might better be. however, one
of high resolve to permit no more OF
discretionary neutrality policy If we
really desire to be neutral.
Introduces Bill.
BASED upon such facts and such
experience Senator Clark and today
introduced in the Senate q bill pro-
posing a strict policy of neutrality. the
enforcement OF which shall at once
be not permissive or at the discretion
Of the President, but mandatory upon
him. The bill presents requirements
and advantages roughly stated as fol-
lows:
First. at the outbreak Of war be-
tween other nations the President shall
by proclamation forbid the exporta-
ton of arms, ammunition and imple-
ments of war for the use Of those ma
tions, and that the President shall, not
may but shall. extend this embargo
to other nations If and when they may
become engaged in such war.
Second, the bill proposes an en-
barge on other items of commerce
which may be considered essential war
materials. such as oil. and provides
that the President shall forbid expor-
tation to nations at war Of these ma
terials beyond what was the average
annual expectation Of these materials
to those nations during the flve-year
period preceding the outbreak Of war.
Third. the bill requires that the
President shall upon the outbreak OF
war between foreign states proclaim
that the buyer of any and all articles
to or through the field of operations
Of belligerent states shall be at the
risk solely of the buyer and the bill
provides that the buyers shall be with
out redress in any court of the United
States. Thus. it will be seen. there is
provided a strict cash and carry basis
with buyers taking their own risk In
accomplishing delivery Of supplies they
buy from US in time of war.
tllC Ollt AC4AhC tiAdt tAAC
President shall require American pas
sengers to refrain from travelling on
the vessels Of belligerent states, and
provides that passengers who ignore
this requirement at once forfeit their
right to protection of the United
States. Thus We can avoid a repeti-
ton of the Lusitania experience.
Fifth. the bill introduced today does
with loans and credits to time OF war
precisely what 1t does with war mate
rials-it embargoes and limits them.
Sixth, the bill provides penalties OF
q severe nature covering belligerent
submarines in our ports and the use
Of the American flag upon vessels Of
belligerent nations. Likewise. 1t pro-
vides severe penalties to meet viola
tions OF all other provisions Of this
law. Finally. the bill Incorporates the
provisions for licensing and dealing in
the expectation Of munitions Of war.
There are those who will insist that
this measure is too severe. We, who
sponsor it. feel that in the light
of experience, nothing short of those
provisions is deserving Of the title
of a neutrality policy and we beg
the confidence of the people of the
land in 1t not as an instrument that
will completely prevent war, but as
one that will make it extremely diff
cult for the United States to be drawn
into another foreign war that becomes
our war only because of selfish in
terests that profit from the blood