Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-09

their death millions OF men from this
country.
In section the Congress has taken
care Of the financial transactions Of
eventual belligerents almost as effec-
lively as it has taken care of the raw
material prohibition AS soon as the
President has issued his proclamation
regarding the state of belligerency
between two or more countries, it be-
comes unlawful to purchase. sell or
exchange bonds and securities be-
longing to belligerent governments,
or to make loans or extend credit to
any such government.
There is provision, however, which
reads as follows: That if the Presi-
dent shall find such action will serve
to protect the commercial or other
interests of the United States or its citi-
zens, he may, in his discretion
except from the operation of this Sec
ton ordinary commercial credits and
Short-time obligations in aid of legal
transactions and of a character Gus
tomarily used in normal peacetime
few commercial transactions which
cannot be construed as serving to pro-
tect the interests of the people Of the
United States. And the President,
under the neutrality act, can de-
termine from both the economic and
financial points of view which Of the
belligerents might benefit by this
proviso.
The members of Congress naturally
admit that it cannot be against the
law and the interests Of the people of
this country who spent hundreds Of
millions during the last war to allie
viate the sufferings of humanity to
solicit funds for humanitarian pur-
poses. Nevertheless, even for this
purpose they have decided that they
had best follow the opinion of the
Chief Executive. The bill provides
that all such solicitations and col
lection of funds shall be subject to
the approval of the President and shall
be made under such rules and regu-
lations as he shall prescribe"
SCStlOH 4nt6TSSLlngs
The most interesting section Of
the bill is the relatively less vital
section 8, dealing with submarines
and armed merchant vessels which
might have or want to use American
ports and territorial waters. In this
section the President has the COM
plete freedom to play favorites If
he chooses to do so. The expression,
"all belligerents," has completely dis
appeared in this section. It reads as
follows: whenever, during any war
in which the United States Is neu-
trail, the President shall find that re-
strictions placed on the use Of the
ports and territorial waters Of the
United States by the submarines and
the armed merchant vessels OF a
foreign country will serve to maintain
peace -. and shall make proclama-
ton thereof, it shall thereafter be
unlawful for any such vessel to enter
a port of the territorial waters of the
United States - In other words,
the President is given the power to
pick and choose which of the belliger-
ents shall enjoy the hospitality Of
American harbors and territorial wa
tiers. OF course, the assumption of
the members of the Congress is that
the President will not discriminate
between the belligerents, and they
will all be forbidden to use the Amer
lean harbors for their armed YES
sells A leading Democrat explained
to this writer: This might be dan
gerous, of course, with another Pres
ident. But remember that the new
act Is good for two years only and
during all this time Mr.. Roosevelt
will be the head OF our Govern
ment."
Even the prohibition for American
citizens to travel on liners of bel
ligerent nations Is subjected to the
Presidents will. The Congress has
made 1t unlawful for American citi-
zens to travel on such ships except
in accordance with such rules and
regulations as the President shall pre-
scribe"
There is little wonder, then, that
on the afternoon of April 20, when
the embassies of the democratic Eu-
ropean states heard that the new bill
was passed with handsome major
ity, they sent excited cables to their
respective governments. One OF these
diplomats remarked in his bursting
enthusiasm: I'VE now have the
United States in the bag!"
Copyright, 1872