The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-01-30
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
By FRANK P. LITSCHERT

III NOAAlCNIlOl Will LllC OCHabC WIN
mittee's munitions investigation, we
have heard great deal of late about
neutrality. There have been demands
that the Government enforce its neu-
trality, in event of war, by mandate of
Congress. The plan in general has
been to compel Uncle Sam to cease
trading in munitions with combatants
after war has been declared. Natur-
ally there has been some difference of
opinion. One group wants to make the
so-called neutrality mandate abso-
lutte, while another has advocated CIV
ing the President the right to apply
the regulations as he deems them nee
essary.
Critics of this latter plan have
pointed out that it would enable the
President to follow the lead of the
League of Nations, if he so desired,
and to drag Uncle Sam into the
League through the back door," Still
other Americans have strongly advised
against any neutrality mandates
which would sacrifice the age-old prin-
ciple urged by the United States for
the freedom of the seas. Certainly this
latter contention is not to be dismissed
lightly.
One of the most discussed embargoes
in the Italo-Ethiopian war has been
the so-called oil ban. France and Eng
land threatened to apply it and then
apparently backed off when they saw
that it apparently meant war with
Italy. Some observers have been un-
kind enough to say that England and
France were only waiting in the hope
that Uncle Sam might employ an oil
embargo first. Then they would follow
suit, and in case of war with Italy,
would blame it on the United States,
and demand that we lead the combat
##*
In view of all this, it is interesting
to note that Senator Reynolds OF
North Carolina, upon his return from
Europe where he had studied the stu
alton at close range, declared that the
Italo- Ethiopian dispute contained the
markings of a frst-class European
war between Italy and England over
the control of Africa, and that Uncle
Sam ought to remain as far away as
possible.
Because of this situation, the Sena-
tor is quoted as stating that it would
be a grave mistake for the United
States to enter any oil sanctions agree
ment, because all we would get out OF
it would be trouble-and we have
enough of that already. Even if sane
lions were invoked, the Senator infers
the nations applying such sanctions
would cheat on one another. Anyone
who remembers the arms embargo
fiasco in the Bolivion dispute with
Paraguay, and who has any recollec-
ton of how bootlegging and rum-run-
ming are accomplished when the profits
are enormous, can sympathize with
this opinion.
"This country should keep it's hands
off European affairs and adopt a pol
icy of strict neutrality" Senator Rey-
nolds is quoted as saying. "The war
in Ethiopia is not war between Italy
and Ethiopia. 1t is a war between Italy
and Great Britain over which country
shall be imperial in Africa"
***
Of course the United States wants
to keep out of war and remain entirely
neutral. 1t must be remembered that
the best way to do this is to maintain
sizeable and capable Navy which can
enforce real neutrality. This is one
fact which the internationalists are
too prone to forget.
***
A temporary "dog haven" for home
less hounds is about to be completed