Evening star., 1939-09-29
AIDING the Democrucies

Aiding the Democrocies
There is one argument in the cur
rent battle over revision of our So
called neutrality law" which for
some reason has been but lightly
touched upon by both proponents
and antagonists of revision. That
argument concerns the question of
whether by aiding England and
France through revision of the pres
ent embargo on manufactured arms,
ammunition and implements of war,
the United States will best serve its
own legitimate longtime interests.
Whatever the exigencies which i'm
pede frank and full discussion of the
question by the administration or
the Congress may be, The Star, feel
ing that only through realistic con-
sideration of this phase of the prob
lem can our national policy in the
matter of neutrality be wisely deter
mined, can see no impeachment to edi-
torial exposition of facts as it sees
them.
Those facts are these: That the
prompt lifting of the present en-
barge on manufactured implements
of war will be of large assistance to
England and France in the war
thrust upon them by Hitler. That
this assistance may well prove the
decisive factor in whether they win
or lose the war And that, leaving
aside any pro-British or French and
anti-Hitler synlpathies throughout
this Nation, the cold-blooded, selfish
and legitimate interests of the United
States require democratic as
against Hitler victory in Europe.
There can be no question of doubt
but that sentiment in this country
is, for the present at least, predomi-
nantly against any step which seems
conducive to entry of America into
the war. With this sentiment The
Star is in full and hearty accord
There can be, The Star believes, no
question, however, but that, despite
its desire to stay out of the war itself,
this Nation is predominantly pro-
democracy in it's inclinations today.
The picture in nutshell is that we
want no part of the war for ourselves
and earnestly hope that victory may
rest with the democracies.
The reasons for these not incon-
sistent or unnatural desires on the
part of the American people are too
obvious to call for lengthy exposition
here. Suffice it to set forth the two
obvious facts that if we can stay out
of this war without too grave i'm
pairment of our future national Sc
curity our interests will be served,
and that if the European democracies
are defeated and totalitarian theology
established in Europe, our interests
will be menaced most gravely.
The blunt question before the Ma
ton today resolves itself into whether
future American peace, meaning
both the near future and the far fu-
ture, will be placed in graver jeopardy
by aiding the democracies to win the
war through repeal of our current
embargo law-or by making their
victory more difficult and doubtful
by retaining the embargo.
The Star believes that imminent
or actual defeat of the allies would
be the gravest menace to our ma
tional peace of any factor upon the
horizon today. For it is convinced
that our national desire for peace
does not connote any considerable
'peace at any price" sentiment in
this. country, and that if the price
America believes it would have to
pay for peace sooner or later seems
to be too high there will be a swift
reaction from our present national
mood.
Whether or not the imminent de-
bate on Capitol Hill deals with the
considerations set forth above, they
must inevitably be in the conscious
ness Of all thoughtful men and
women. Taken into logical account
they should insure the fact that this
Government, after taking all proper
steps to avoid embodiment through
lawful but dangerous carrying Of
supplies to combatants, will In the
farsighted and wise furtherance Of
our national desire to avoid war, re-
peal the embargo.