Evening star., 1937-03-28
BY JOSEPHUS DANIELS.

| Wartime Secretary OF the Navy.
n II EXICO CITY.-History does
M not always repeat itself, bu
wv recollection of events Of the
4 L World War may throw light
upon what may befall the United
States if another European war should
come The history Of events that led
up to American participation may be
thus summarized:
l. In August, 1914, President Wilson
called on the American people to be
neutral in thought and act, declaring
Every man who really loves America
will act and speak in the true spirit
of neutrality" Theodore Roosevelt in
September declared: TT is certainly
eminently desirable that we should re-
main entirely neutral" According to
Senator Borah I'VE were not neutral
in mind or thought for longer than
about so days after the World War
started"
2. The policy of neutrality was
weakened by the propaganda of agents
and partisans of European warning
countries in the United States, by the
demands of our nationals to sell their
products to combatants, by the re-
versal of the policy of refusing to lend
money to nations at war, by sabotage
and threats Of sabotage, by the de-
struction of American lives and prop
erty in U-boat warfare, and other
causes.
"Armed Neutrality" Proclaimed.
3. On the 18th of March, 1917,
President Wilson proclaimed armed
neutrality" and the Navy proceeded to
put guns and gunners on merchant
ships.
4. On February President Wilson
delivered a message to Congress re-
viewing the circumstances that led to
the severance of relations with Ger
many.
5. On March all members of the
cabinet agreed with the President that
war was inevitable and advised a spe-
cial session of Congress to declare war.
6. On April 2, 1917, Wilson in
formed Congress that neutrality is
no longer feasible or desirable" and
declared that America had no choice
except to enter "the most terrible and
disastrous of all wars, civilization it
self being in the balance"
7. Congress having passed the war
resolution (the Senate by vote of
81 to 6 and the House by 373 to 500,
the President issued the declaration
Of war on April 6.
If there should be another great war
in Europe the United States, accord
ing to the recent neutrality legisla-
ton, could not do the following things
which powerfully helped to propel our
country into the World War:
l. It could not arm merchant ships.
2. Its people could not sell any
arms. ammunition and implements of
war" to belligerent nations.
Travelling Restrictions.
3. It's citizens could not travel at
all on belligerent vessels except under
rules prescribed by the President.
Senator Pittman recently said: 1T Is
the policy of Congress that our citi-
zens shall not travel upon belligerent
vessels except in great emergencies.
The President, therefor, will be strict
in making exceptions in favor of any
citizens, and. therefore, the act is
practically prohibitory." There could
not be another Lusitania incident, for
it was a merchant vessel carrying
munitions of war to Great Britain.
4. Its people could sell nothing to
warning powers except such products
or commodities as by proclamation Of
the President were authorized to be
sold.
S. Its people could not export or
transport to any belligerent country, or
to any country where civil strife exists,
any article or materials whatever until
all right, title and interest therein
shall have bsen transferred to some
foreign government" or agency.
6. No citizen or corporation could
lend money or credits to belliger-
ent nation. This, on the theory that
money Is contraband which can COM
mand all else.
If these provisions and inhibitions
had been the law when the World War
began, most of the hazards that con-
tributed to our entering the struggle
would have been eliminated. BY their
removal, the chances of the United
States being draw into another war
are greatly lessened, If not prevented,
to as great extent as prevention Is pos
sible.
The next war will begin in the air.
Without the formality Of declaring
war, the nation that Is bent on war
will drop death-dealing bombs and
poisons of many kinds on sleeping
cities. It is because Of this fear and ex-
pectation that more none. is now be-
ing expended for weapons of the air
than for dreadnaughts.
In 1914, war was mainly confined, as
in former wars, to belligerents. That
struggle demonstrated that modern
war Is not confined to combatants It
is waged against whole communities.
This means that the battles in the skies
-