Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-04-07

cerely believe
the United States can get along and
avoid war even If the British and
French are defeated by the dicta-
tors, and those who feel that Amer
lea cannot shut herself off either
In trade or otherwise from what
is happening now or is likely to
happen abroad.
Since nobody can guarantee just
what will develop abroad or what
contingencies will face the Ameri-
can Government, the suggestion has
been made again and again that
broad discretionary powers be vested
In the President to determine neu-
trality policy as the occasion re-
Quires.
But to intrust such a grave re-
eponsibility on one man is consld-
cred dangerous and substantial
number of Senators and Represent
atives fear that such discretionary
power may be misused or abused or
mistakenly applied even with the
best of intentions.
Two Ideas Provide Solution.
So if the situation is too uncer-
tain to make rules and prescribe
rigid formula, and if it is too dan
gerous to keep the powers vague and
let them be exercised by one man,
the only other solution is to pass
law which meets all the objections
mentioned. This means comblna-
ton of both ideas-the discretionary
and the check on the discretionary
power.
Perhaps the best way to accom-
plish the desired result lies IN having
Congress create a neutrality COM
mission, composed of six members
of the House and six of the Senate,
and representing equally both polit-
ical parties. and for the Secretary OF
State and the Secretary OF War ana
the Secretary of the Navy to be
members of the commission. If the
Joint congressional commission IS
up against a decision as to how the
neutrality policy of the United
States, as it relates to trade IN
munitions and supplies, shall be APP
piled and if Congress is not in ses-
sion, the decision certainly would be
that of nine persons. instead OF one,
and these nine would represent all
political factions.
If. on the other hand, Congress
were in session and majority OF
both Houses disliked the rulings OF
the neutrality commission, simple
prohibitory resolution would check
mate such action. AS for a crisis
which might arise when Congress is
not in session, there is always the
prospect that, in response to public
demand the President would call
both Houses into special session.
Public Reaction Measurable.
The main objection to such plan
as that outlined above is that Amer
lean trade might be subjected to
sudden reversals of policy, but, on
the other hand, producers and
traders would have ample oppor-
tunity to gauge the trend Of Amerl-
can sentiment long in advance and
determine whether they were taking
undue risks. The theory that the
United States can be suddenly
plunged into war or embarked on a
policy which plainly leads to war
without public opinion functioning
in advance has lately been given a
good deal of currency, but it is rather
far-fetched and does not square
with the facts of history.
The events leading up to American
participation in the World War in
1917 were known to the American
people and thoroughly debated from
1914 to 1917 and when, as a conse-
uuence of Wanton attacks on Ameri-
can citizens and their property, the
decision arose as to whether to &C
Quiesce or resist, only a handful in
either House of Congress indicated
In advance of the war declaration
an objection to the course subse-
quently followed. In other words,
when President Wilson asked for a
recognition of state of war actually
begun by Germany, the prevailing
sentiment in Congress and through
out the country was in favor of
resistance against Germany. Diplo-
matte relations between the United
States and Germany were severed
on February 3, 1917, in the hope that
this would be warning to Germany
and that her submarine warfare
campaign would be modified, so that
America knew nearly two months
in advance of the war declara-
tion-on April 6-just what the
implications of national policy hap
pened to be.
Public Could Show Sentiment.
If a neutrality commission were
: established-not for the purpose OF
deciding whether America should 60
to war, but how much trading
should be allowed in time of war
there would be ample opportunity
for public opinion to register dis
approval if the course being followed
seemed to lead toward involvement
OF the United States in war.
What the dictatorship countries
recognize all too we'll Is that democ
racies are weak and indecisive and
that their vitality can be Slapped by
stirring up all sorts of antagonisms
to keep them from acting efficiently
IN crisis. To offset this, the de-
mocracies will have to find a better
formula than constant debate or
reliance on the slow process of law
making when once a crisis has been
reached. The joint commission idea
with its bipartisan angle, answers
the objections to one-man govern
ment and to the possibility that
either party could, for partisan ad