Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-09-17

Whether the special session OF Con-
gress called for Thursday adopts the adj
ministrations neutrality program or de-
termines a different policy, American
experiences in the World War and the
problems left unsolved by the Italian
conquest of Ethiopia, the japanese in
vasion of China and the Spanish Civil
War demonstrate that this country will
have serious difficulty in protecting its
neutral rights from violation by Euro
pean belligerents.
History has repeatedly proved that
rights" exercised by belligerents inevi-
tably conflict with rights" claimed by
neutrals Furthermore, individual coun-
tries, including the United States, have
taken contradictory positions on these
two sets of claims, depending on whether
they were themselves at peace or at war.
Parallel Events rs Years Ago.
The initial lists of absolute and condi-
tional contraband issued by Great Brit
ain, France and Germany, the protests
already made by American merchant
ships against searches at sea and Ger
many's use of submarine tactics are
significantly paralleled by almost identl-
cal events IS years ago when the United
States had no embargo on arms, NUM-
lions and implements of war. For two
years and eight months, the period be-
fore the United States joined the allies,
President Wilson and the State Depart
ment were almost daily protesting to the
belligerents against infringements OF
American neutrality. But the CONTRA
band lists grew longer, shipping restric-
lions against our vessels became more
onerous, increasingly more American
ships we're seized. Finally, on February
/, 1917, Germany announced the crown
ing insult: The United States would be
permitted, under explicitly stated pro-
visions, to send one passenger ship to
Falmouth, England, each week, arriving
on Sunday and departing on the fol-
lowing Wednesday. At the same time
Germany announced absolutely unre-
stricted submarine warfare by stating
all sea traffic will be stopped by every
available weapon without further notice"
U. S. Proceeded as Neutral.
During those two years and eight
months, the United States had proceeded
as a neutral under international law"
that elastic body of unapproved con-
ventions to which President Roosevelt
wishes to return, with perhaps the cash
and carry limitation that the belllg-
erents must take title to war materials
purchased in the United States and
transport them away in their own ships
Germanys blunt announcement that
loar e,,I,V oyt, IN
"the full forced President Wilson to ask
authority to arm American merchant
ships to protect American overseas COM
MERGE by armed neutrality" The Wilson
proposal was defeated by filibuster in the
Senate (the SiXty-Fourth Congress auto
matically expired on March 4, 1910 and
after three vessels, American owned and
American manned, had been sunk by
U-boats, Wilson called Congress in extra
session for April 2 Ito receive commu-
nication concerning grave matters War
was declared on April 6.
From the earliest days of the World
War, Great Britain, as the strongest sea
power, laid down stringent rules for
American shipping. At that time the
American Navy was only about third
as large as the British, and there was
little President Wilson could do but pro-
test Since the present American Neu-
trality Act embargoes only arms, NUM-
tons and implements of war, and per-
mits the export to belligerents OF raw
materials without any cash and carry
limitations it is interesting to note that
the disputes between this country and
Great Britain during the first years of
the World War centered around ship
mentS of such BritiSh-named contraband
as copper, rubber, gasoline and cotton.
Food, traditionally not contraband, was
later put on the absolute contraband list
of the British after Germany seized all
stocks of flour, wheat and corn within
her own empire; American shipments OF
contraband to other neutral countries,
particularly Sweden, Norway, Denmark
and Holland, were seized when the Brit
Ish had reason to suppose" these ship
ments would ultimately reach Germany;
Britain challenged the good faith OF
American purchases of former German
ships to be used in shipping non-con-
traband goods to Germany and made
blacklist" of about 80 American firms
suspected of having traded with Ger
many through neutral countries. AS
early as January, 1915, Great Britain
refused to let the American-ow ship
Dacia sail from Port Arthur, Tex, with
a cargo of cotton to Rotterdam, Hol-
land.
Germany Violated Rights.
Germany, whenever her inferior sea-
power permitted, also violated Amerl-
can neutral rights" usually by subma-
rines, and President Wilson notified the
imperial government that this country
would hold Germany to strict &C
countability" But since this country
was not prepared to 60 to war to protect
its shipping from British or German
seizure, the protests brought only tenn
porary respites.
The legal definition of neutrality is
"the status arising from the abstention
of a state from all participation in
war between other states, the mainte-
nance by 1t of an attitude OF impair
TALLY in its dealing with the belllgerent
states and the recognition by the latter
of this abstention and impartiality.'
Yet whatever the motives Of a neutral
state. there has always been criticism
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