Evening star., 1937-08-30
Dilemma of Neutrality
Use of Act Would Put United States in Position of
Condoning Aggression.

1t does not want to invoke the act
for one simple reason. In this con-
f1ict there are existing treaties which
We certainly want to keep out Of war;
We want to protect the lives Of our
nationals. But If we regard China,
now being ruthlessly invaded re-
gardless Of diplomatic procedures, in
ternational conventions and exist
Ing treaties, as belligerent, who
must therefore be penalized, we are
sion and the wanton violation OF two
treaties which Japan has with US:
The pact of Paris and the nine-power
treaty. As late as July l6 Of this year.
Mr.. Hull made a public declaration
to which 40 nations subscribed. aver
ring the intention OF the United States
to uphold the sanctity Of treaties
wherever We are signatories Of them.
Absurdity in Situation.
The situation is absurd. If we in
woke the neutrality act to condone
the violation Of a treaty to which We
W. ~ EeAA w, VIC hNIudlly dSSloU LIlC
violator, renounce solemn pledges and
legal rights, and back of large part
of the worlds stage to turn it over
not to its own inhabitants-but to a
foreign aggressor.
We are caught in a dilemma which
the neutrality legislation should have
been able to forsee. And there is one
man in the United States who must
be looking at events grimly but without
surprise. He, at least, can say to all
the world, Il told you So" That man
is Henry Stimson, Secretary OF State
in Hoover's cabinet.
When Japan invaded Shanghai in
1881 as part OF the conquest OF Man.
chukuo, Mr.. Stimson WAS so simple
minded as to believe that treaties
mean what they say. He wanted the
United States and the League of
Nations to make common demarche,
and say no" 1t has repeatedly been
said that the League collapsed because
the United States was outside it, but
in that first instance OF large-scale
invasion it was not the League but the
United States that took the lead.
Sir John Simon, then British foreign
minister, was Icy cold Actually, at
the League, Sir John took pro-
Japanese line-which was totally un-
supported later by the League Investi-
cation Commission under Lord Lytton.
Mr.. Stimson said then that II an
undeclared war, in violation of treaties,
were allowed to pass unchallenged by
powers who were plenty strong enough
to prevent it, there would be new and
more powerful attacks" Mr.. Stimson
was right-and right in time From
1881 dates a whole series Of treaty
violations and undeclared wars, the
end Of which is not in sight.
Events Since 1881 Logical.
What has followed since 1881 is
perfectly logical; Ethiopia. Locarno,
Spain, China. The world picture
makes sense. though the sense is
horrifying. There are three dissatis-
f1ed nations in the world who are
organized on a permanent wor footing,
and who have thrown to the winds
recourse to any kind OF international
law and respect for all treaties. They
are competing with nations which are
trying to solve internal and external
problems through delibera ton, arbi-
tration and diplomacy These three
nations have common agreement to
fight communism" all over the world.
the definition Of communism being
their own. They have underlined aims
OF conquest. They pursue these
aims by:
l. Intervention in internal struggles
in countries which they wish to domi-
nate.
2. Propaganda attempts to discredit
democracy-since their probable op-
ponents are democratic countries.
3. Attacks on all efforts to restore
order in international trade.
1. Direct military operations against