Evening star., 1936-01-06
NEUTRALITY
TOLAT|N AMERICA.
Roosevelt Policy Found to
Apply Only to Eastern
Hemisphere Wars.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

DAV4O 4&A 12kNSEs
The neutrality policy Of the United
States, expounded by President Roose-
welt, applies only to wars In the East
ern hemisphere. IL does not aaect
arms shipments to countries in North
and South America which may go
to war with each other or with Eu.
ropean or Asiatic nations.
This careful deiimitation Of Amer
icas intent to keep out Of war by
means of the embargo kind Of neu-
trality does not meet the viewpoint
of those who want peace at any price.
Rather. it confirms and extends the
obligations which the United States
has hitherto assumed under the Mon
roe Doctrine.
Position of President,
The Presidents exact language on
this point Is Of historic importance.
He says:
"As O consistent part of a clear poll
icy, the United States Is following q
two-fold neutrality toward any and
all nations which engage in wars not
of immediate concern to the Amer
icas."
The only wars that are mot of i'm
mediate concern" to the Americas are
wars in which European or Asiatic
powers 60 to war with each other. The
other possible wars-those between
countries in the Western hemisphere
or between Pan-American countries
and countries In Asia and Europe
are not to tie the hands of the
United States If 1t should wish to help
one belligerent in the sense of con-
tinuing to export arms and ammuni-
ito mas well as other war supplies.
The reason for this policy Is ap-
parent the moment the obligations Of
the United States under the Monroe
Doctrine are recalled. Thus, II any
of the nations of Central and South
America. and presumably Canada, for
that matter, too, were to be attacked
by an Asiatic power. the United States
could hardly acquiesce in the gaining
Of a permanent foothold in the West
ern hemisphere by any power from
the Eastern hemisphere. This was the
principal purpose Of the Monroe Doc
trine.
There is no assurance that the
United States will go to war on the
side of nations In the Americas, but
the making Of an exception in what
would otherwise be Q general neutral
ity policy. applicable to all foreign
nations that might become belliger.
ents, is significant in itself.
U. s. Would Give Aid.
It is obvious that. II any nation
in the Americas went to war with a
powerful. European or Asiatic country,
the advantage would be all on the side
of the countries in the other hemis-
phere which had natural resources
or munitions plants big enough to
take care Of their needs. Under such
circumstances, to deny South Ameri-
caA country, for example, the oppor.
tunity to buy arms and ammunition
and other supplies from the United
States with which to defend itself
would be to reject the traditional
policy of friendship and special inter-
est which the United States has al
ways maintained toward other nations
in the two American continents.
Mr.. Roosevelt's doctrine specifically
permits the United States to give
potential aid to nations in the Ameri-
cas- which might become belligerents.
AS for wars between South American
countries, or revolutionary disturb
ances that threaten to upset consti-
tuted governments, the State Depart
ment has always had the power to
allow arms to go to certain countries
and not to others and even to certain
sec.ions occupied by de facto author
tiles or to embargo the shipments
to both factions Of belligerents inside
country. But this has never been
part Of a general policy Of regulating
trade with helligerents.
Protectorate Over Latin America.
Countries to the South Of US will
view with gratifcation the making
of an exception in our neutrality
policy so far as 1t offers protection
against attack by nations in the East
ern Hemisphere. The Monroe doc
trine itself does not imply that the
United States must come to the aid
of South American nation when it
Is attacked, but merely announces
that the United States will not allow
any foreign power to gain q perma-
nent foothold. The new neutrality
policy tells the whole world, however.
that arms and ammunition will con-
tinue to be sent to any nations on the
American continent that may need
them in q foreign war. This is nearer
to the proclamation of protectorate
over Latin America by the United
States than any previous declaration
because 1t Is o specific promise that
international and domestic law. as 1t
will be applied by the Washington
Government to the world In general,
will not apply to Latin America In
particular.
Just what the pacific c-minded per-
sons who have hoped to eliminate
oil manner of foreign involvement by
refusing to supply any beligerents
will say about this 1t Is too early to
conjecture. but it will certainly stimu.
late the critics Of another school of
thought who believe that . nation
with the raw materials like the United
States possesses would be doing o
grave injustice If it enlarged arms
and ammunition against q weak coun-
try which is plainly the victim Of the
aggression Of q strong country and
particularly If the latter has all the
resources, the munitions arsenals and
other advantages in a military and
naval combat.
Congress will have much to say
on the writing of the neutrality leg
islation. The Department of State
was unquestionably influential in per-
suading Mr.. Roosevelt to make an
exception of Latin America. The
President may feel so strongly about
it as to insist either that the Amer
icas be specifically exempted from
possible embargoes or that at least
discretionary power in SUFFICIENT
amount be granted SO that he can