Evening star., 1937-03-05
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.
The Neutrality Bill.

The Senate, by a huge majority. has
passed the permanent neutrality bill
sponsored by Senator Pittman, chairman
of the Foreign Relations Committee. 1t
is the most drastic measure of the kind
that has ever had the approval of either
house of Congress. And by it's cash and
carry" provision it reverses the policy
of the United States since the beginning
of the history of the Nation. America
fought one early war in defense of that
policy, the freedom of the seas, and was
drawn into the great World War because
It continued its adherence to that policy.
The desire of the supporters of neu-
trality legislation is primarily to keep the
United States from becoming involved in
wars between other nations. Their idea
is that a strict neutrality, with favors
shown to none of the belligerents. is the
best way to accomplish that end. A
difficulty arises however. when by rules
laid down in the United States there is
discrimination against weaker nation
in the matter of trade. The rules now
devised and included in the pending
neutrality legislation declare that bel
igerent nation or its nationals must pay
in advance for materials purchased in
America and then must carry them away
from these shores at their own risk in
their own vessels or others they have
hired. Senator Hiram johnson has
pointed out quite correctly, that such an
arrangement would make possible trade
with this country only by the belligerent
with the biggest and strongest navy.
Here then is a discrimination against
other friendly nations.
The Senate. in writing it's neutrality
bill, has combined the mandatory prin-
ciple with the discretionary principle. 1t
has, for example, made mandatory an
embargo on the shipment of arms, am
munition and implements of war to bel
igerent nations. 1t makes mandatory
the "cash and carry" plan of commerce
with beligerent nations. 1t prohibits
mandatorily any loans or credits to the
warning nations, and it prohibits the
arming of American vessels engaged in
trade with belligerent nations and makes
them engage in such trade at their own
risk. It forbids Americans to travel on
vessels of belligerent nations. These are
mandatory provisions.
On the other hand, the measure gives
to the President the power to use his
discretion in adding other goods and
materials to the embargo list. 1t also
gives to the President power to prohibit
belligerents from using American ports
as supply stations for their ships, and
1t gives the President power to apply all
the provisions of the act to trade with a
nation in which civil war exists. These
last are discretionary" provisions.
When Chief Executive of the United
States begins to use discretion" in
applying embargoes, in the use of Ameri-
can ports and in the application of trade
measures toward country engaged in
civil war, neutrality may quickly fly out
Of the window. The use of such dis
cretion, after a conflict shall have
started, will be construed by one side or
the other as unneutral or even inimical,
depending upon how that side may be
affected.
The desire for neutrality is natural
to those who do not wish to see their
country involved in wars which are
none Of its making. But to the neutral
by law is almost as difficult as to be
good by law. The neutrality bill, if and
when 1t becomes law, will be an ad-
mirable gesture. 1t will give pleasure to
the advocates of peace. When and if war
comes, however, the country, as always,
will be guided by circumstances and by
public sentiment. And when it is so
guided any neutrality law may be kicked
into the sea.