Evening star., 1938-05-21
Senator Nye's Reversal
OF Neutrality Position
To the Editor OF The Star:

A great deal has been said and written
lately concerning public opinion, and, in
contemplating 1t one cannot help re-
marking how quickly and easily the pub
lie forgets and changes its opinions OF
few years back. This applies particularly
to many serious issues Of today but the
most striking example just now is that
afforded in the movement to lift the
arms embargo against Spain. BY a
curious and. to many of us. inexplicable
irony of fate the author of the resolu-
ton to lift the embargo is the same man
who in 1885 headed the Senate commit
tee investigating the munitions industry,
who that year was co-author OF four
resolutions ON United States neutrality
during war, involving arms embargoes;
who in 1896 offered another bill for an
embargo on raw materials essential for
the conduct of war. and In 1887 offered
bill denying passports for travel in war
zones. In the year 1887 Senator Nye also
put himself on record during debate OF
the present Neutrality Act as opposed to
giving the President discretion in the ap-
plication of embargoes and other meas
ures to belligerents.
The year 1885 was marked by wide
spread antiWar feeling in this country.
Countless books such as Merchants of
Death" Road to War" Iron, Blood and
Profits" made their appearance to in
form people in regard to the munitions
industry and to discourage any tendency
to profit by that industry again at the
cost of another world war. The Nye
committee made a reaching investi-
CATION of the traffic in arms and its re-
port is one of the strongest arguments
that has ever been made against war
and European intrigue leading to it. Mr.
Nye spoke earnestly and compellingly
throughout the country on the subject.
and in a speech on April q, 1885, he said:
And I say it is high time we changed
our policy and adopted policy OF neu-
trality which said that in the event Of
more engagement in war that it shall be
unlawful for the American flag to be
flown on any cargo whose destination is
a nation engaged in war" And further
II would still insist that the duty was
upon us to give our every effort to the
accomplishment of these better things.
these things that might save us from the
consequences Of more wars. We owe
something to others than ourselves"
With these sentiments we all heartily
agreed then and most of us do SO now.
In the same year, during the discussion
OF the Neutrality Act and the embargo
against Italy and Ethiopia, Mr. Nye was
quoted as saying: 1T will be impossible
for Congress to form policy later with
out mourning representations that such
a new policy involved the taking of sides
against one particular belligerent.'
The joint resolution of January S.
1887. states that during the civil war in
Spain 1t shall be unlawful to export
arms and munitions of war Ito Spain or
to any other foreign country for trans
shipment to Spain or for use Of either
of the opposing forces in Spain" This
resolution. according to Secretary Hull
in his message to Senator Pittman,
was passed unanimously in the Senate,
We can safely assume that Senator NVe
either voted for the resolution or at least
did not register any opposition by neg
ative vote. His attitude up to the pres
ent time has been that of firm opposition
to the shipment OF arms abroad to feed
wars and to draw the United States into
them. One of his arguments was that
our last war was brought upon us when
American ships carrying munitions TO
Europe ran afoul of the beligerents.
From the beginning Of the civil war in
Spain British ships carrying supplies to
the Loyalist government have been cap
tured and sunk. The New York and
London Times have constantly reported
such attacks and sinklngs. Yet Senator
Nye. in the face of all his previous state
ments. has introduced resolution re-
pealing the joint resolution ap-
proved January g. 1887, and conditionally
raising the embargo against the govern
ment of Spain
No reasonable person disputes the fact
of state of belligerency in Spain re-
gardless of whether it has been legally
recognized or not Senator Nye's atti-
tude on war and shipments to beliger-
ents is equally applicable to the condi-
ton in Spain. But he asks that the
condition of strict neutrality maintained
by the United States since the beginning
of the civil war should now be altered,
and arms be permitted to be sent to
one party. 1t is superfuous to discuss
the merits or dement's of the recent Nye
resolution now. but the striking thing
is that the Senator has executed as sud-
den and as neat a reversal of position as
any acrobat. And apparently the re-
versal is unaccompanied by any strong
reasons therefor.
Today the popular tune has changed
from absolute neutrality to active parti-
sanship in quarrels that are strictly Eu-
ropean. ELEANOR H. FINCH.