The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1937-01-21

WaShngtOn.-h Tie hiS'
five act Of the new congress is to
measure its eff
Plane cheney and its
Embargo value as the poll
cy making branch
=, our government, there is no other
conclusion than that our legislative
body has sunk to new low In It's
history. Of course, congress should
not be judged by the mess it made
in rushing through a resolution
barring further shipment of air
nlanes and engines to Spain but on
every side I hear criticism Of the
lack of common sense used in that
instance.
To recall some of the details,
when congress convened there was
wild and surging wave demanding
that the United States remain neu-
trail and avoid ENHANCEMENT in the
Spanish crisis. Everywhere and on
a million tongues was heard the
cry that the United States should
take no chances; it should take all
of the stitches in time that are
necessary to make certain that we
will not get involved in a circum-
stance on European soil that threat
ems to become another 1914.
t has been and is quite evident
that the people of the United States
are committed to policy of peace.
policy of neutrality. European
developments have proceeded so
slowly that even the merest tyro
has foreseen the ultimate clash be-
tween communism and fascism
about which I wrote in these col
umns some weeks ago. In other
words, the European situation has
developed after a manner that
would enable preventative plans to
be laid on this side of the Atlantic
ocean. .-- sasa@. b..
But congress, in attempting to in
sure our neutrality, did probably
the most unneutral thing it could
have done. In so doing, believe
the consensus is that both house and
senate demonstrated again the in
ability characterizing congresses Of
the last few years to appraise a
complete picture. 1t yielded to what
it believed to be the public demand
without giving thought to the future.
Let us analyze briefly what hap
pened. The congress convened. as
! have said, with an almost unani-
nous demand from the country for
a definite and workable neutrality
policy. 1t convened with two or three
individual business units seeking to
deliver shipments of airplanes and
engines to the so-called loyalist
troops in Spain. The exporters of
these war materials sensed quick
action by congress that would de-
stroy their contracts. Naturally,
they put on all speed to get the
planes and engines out of this coun-
try ahead of an embargo. Congress,
like so many boys in college foot
ball match, fell into the spirit Of
competition, race.
Well, the answer is that Robert
Cuse succeeded in getting his planes
and engines on
Beats EN- board ship and
to If away from N w
York and beat in
the race by twelve hours, a fact
which congressional leaders knew
when they enacted the resolution of
embargo. 49, ..aa.. -... =.
So, it appears to be almost mex
cusable that men of brains should
have rushed piece of legislation
on through its channels containing
an entire absence of neutrality in
its very language. ...-~& ~.
The resolution that was to pre-.
vent Mr.. Cuse and several others
from shipping airplanes and engines
to Spain not only laid down the en-
barge which was its purpose but it
laid down that embargo specifically
against Spain. s'@s .
Now, to those not versed in inter-
national law, it may not be i'm
mediately evident how dangerous
such precedent is. International
law requires (and it is accepted
everywhere among all nations) that
mere shall be no discrimination
among nations unless those nations
are declared to be belligerents.
Spaln has not been so declared. The
war In Spain is civil war insofar
as 1t relates to any other nation
olclally, Of course, it is a well
AhoWn fact that troops from COM
munlst Russia and nearly-com-
munlst France are helping the So
salied loyalist government in Spain.
isiS equally well known that fascist
troops from Nazi Germany and fas-
vlst Italy are supporting the rebel
aoerai General Franco in Spain.
aaese facts would seem to make
se war IN Spain something more
alan civil war. which, indeed, it is,
wi as far as the United States
. ofhclally concerned, the war in
0pain remains civil strife. And yet
W, congress in the worst display
" low grade intelligence witnessed
- a long time, specifically places
'pan in the category of a nation
WAY. NrriHl, i