Evening star., 1939-10-07
Refutes Possibility Of
Neutrality in Fact
Says United Stotes Must Aid
Either the Democrucies
Or Hitler
To the Editor Of The Star:


On paper, or under the provisions Of
international law, or even by appropri-
ate legislation the United States can be
neutral with respect to the war now
waging In Europe. Thus, as matter
Of record, II the embargo provision of
the existing neutrality law is not re-
pealed, then by prohibiting the sale of
completed munitions Of war to all bel
ligerents, there is no discrimination be-
tween them and neither side In the con-
flict being favored, neutrality is legally
declared. II, on the contrary, the en-
barge provision be repealed, and the
sale Of munitions of war permitted to
all belligerents who will pay cash for
them, take title to them in this country
and carry them away in their own ships,
then likewise there is, as q matter of
record, a legal neutrality as the door is
open equally to all belligerents to pur-
chase and ship materials of war, at their
own risk.
But factually, in either case, the
United States is not neutral Under the
present Embargo Act, neither England,
Canada, nor France can buy in this
country much needed completed !nlple-
ments of war such as bombing planes.
AS Germany could not apparently under
any circumstances purchase such i'm
plements and ship them in her own YES
sells, because her merchant fleet is pretty
well off the seas, and the British Navy
is strong enough to prevent the landing
Of such supplies in Germany, that
country not only does not suffer from
the Embargo Act, but Is directly aided
and benefited by it to the extent that
these war supplies manufactured in the
United States are denied to and with
held from England, Canada and France.
Therefore, in point OF fact, we are not
neutral, but are favoring Germany
!. e. Hitler, and all he stands for
in the struggle in which England
and France are engaged in the defense
of liberty and free government, and the
ideals which are those of our own
country.
On the other hand, If the embargo
law is repealed, and the -and-carry
plan is put into effect, because England,
Canada and France can. and Germany
cannot, purchase and ship in their own
vessels implements and munitions of
war, the United States will, to that ex-
tent, aid the former countries, to the
detriment of the latter nation.
So either way, We cannot factually be
neutral, although our legal status as a
neutral Nation would still be unimpaired.
Such being the case. it is up to the
people of the United States to choose,
through their representatives in the
Congress, which of the two sets Of bellig-
erents they prefer to assist, while, at the
same time retaining our neutral status,
thereby eliminating any ground for
complaint by any of the belligerent ma
tions.
Thus the real issue now before the
Congress seems to be, shall We indirectly
aid the great democracies or Hitler?
Certainly we should not help the latter
I believe the people are Overwhelmingly
opposed to doing that. Therefore, the
EIIlUdI SO Ia W SllOulO NC ASpSoASNs
This issue is somewhat obscured by
the great question: How to keep us out
of the war? But that question, I be-
lieve, will not depend by any means en-
tirely upon whether or not We aid Eng
land, Canada and France by repeating
the embargo law and adopting the CASH
and-carry plan with respect to NUM-
tions of war. It will and must depend,
as the war goes on, upon circumstances
arising from time to time and which may
shift and vary so as to require the adop-
ton of various policies to meet them as
they present themselves.
We kept out OF the World War for
nearly three years, and were forced into
it by the unforeseen policy of Germany
in unrestricted sinking of the merchant
ships of neutral nations, including our
own.
What will happen in this war we do
not know, and we can only do our best
to meet whatever emergencies may arise.
OF one thing. however, I think We may
be sure. Germany learned what we
could do when aroused, and If we are
adequately prepared, she will not drag
us into another war to fight against her.
CHARLES L. FRAILEY.
Chevy Chase, Md.
October 3.