Evening star., 1939-10-06
Clearing the Atmosphere

Recent public statements by
two prominent Americans-Herber
Hoover and Senator Norris-should
60 long way toward clearing the
atmosphere of some of the confu-
sion and misrepresentation which
has befogged the debate over revi-
sion of our neutrality law. Mr.. Hoover
and Senator Norris are not in agree
ment on the neutrality dispute
former having refrained from COM
mitting himself on the administra-
tion's program while the latter is
actively supporting it-but each of
them has rendered valuable service
in breaking down the false fear that
the United States is in serious danger
of being drawn into the European
war.
Former President Hoover, who is not
given to ill-considered statements,
has expressed his firm belief that the
European democracies cannot be de-
feated by Germany. In his judgment,
the fact that the allies have superior
man power, more adequate sources of
raw materials and control of the
seas, precludes the possibility of a
Hitlerian victory. If Mr.. Hoover is
correct in that estimate-if the de-
mocracies will not need the support
of American man power-one OF the
most irrational contentious Of the
isolationists falls to the ground.
For reasons which are difficult to
understand, some of the isolationist
Spokesmen have sought to rest their
case on the false assumption that
repeal of the arms embargo would
surely lead this country into the war.
But the preaching of such doctrine
is confession of weakness, a gesture
Of despair, which is both dangerous
and indefensible. 1t is tantamount to
an assertion that the United States
the most powerful Nation in the
World-dareS not lift a finger to
transfer the support it is now lend
ing an aggressor to the side of those
with whom its Sympathies and it's
basic interests lie for fear that, hav-
ing gone so far, it would be unable
to resist the impulse to send it's
young men to the battlefields of Eu-
rope. In other words, the isolation
lists are saying that the members of
Congress and the PreSid mt are so
lacking in the qualities of leadership
that their safest course in the face
OF danger consists of doing nothing.
If that were true, which fortunately
is not the case, the outlook for our
democracy would indeed be dark.
This country, if it is to adopt an
enlightened and realistic policy.
should throw its material influence
into the scales on the side of a
prompt and decisive victory for the
democracies. They may be safe from
defeat, but if the war should be pro-
tracted and inconclusive the danger
that we might be drawn into the
conflict would be increased. If we
can guard against that danger, not
by sending troops to France, but by
revising our neutrality legislation, as
we have a clear right to do, so as to
enable France and Britain to pur-
chase military supplies here on a
cash and carry" basis, we ought not,
to be deferred from doing so by
groundless and reckless claims that
such move would be a fatal step
down the road to war.
Senator Norris is one of the three
remaining members of Congress who
voted against this country's partici-
patton in the World War. BY no
stretch of the imagination, by no de-
vice of Misrepresentation, can he be
called a war mongerer. On the
strength of his record alone, the fact
that he advocates repeal of the en-
barge and the substitution of the
administrations program in the be-
lief that it is better guarantee of
our own safety is entitled to very
serious consideration. The Star is in
full agreement with his position and
heartily indorses the following ex-
cerpt from his statement:
1T Is said by those who are op-
posed to any change In our embargo
law that the course I have outlined
will be favorable to England and
France. But it is equally true If we
fall to take the course I have out
lined and the present embargo law
IS kept intact such action will ho fa