The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-04-06

termines whether the embargoes
and other restrictions become effec-
tive, and when.
President Roosevelt maintains the
present law ties his hands too close
ly, thinks he should have the power
to pick and choose between bellig-
erents, to embargo a commodity TO
one fighting nation and not to the
other, to have power to determine
what articles shall be classified as
war supplies" In short-power 10
settle our whole foreign policy.
The policy of the administration,
and of the state department, since
1914 for that matter, regardless of
the political label of the occupant
of the White House, has been that
United States interests are closely
akin to those of Britain and France
The President feels keenly that this
country's dangers are increased in
almost direct ratio as the dangers
of the two big western Europe de-
mocracies become more menacing
This is long range view held by
many Americans.
Intelligent Solution of
Problem Is Not Expected
But-congress will not go along
with the President on this. It will
not Importantly increase his discre-
tion in neutrality administration.
The little group led by Senators Ben
nett Champ Clark and Gerald Nye.
that wants to deprive him of all dis
erection. will not make any gains
But neither will the larger group
which believes the best interests OF
the country can be served only by
allowing more discretion to the
White House. Too many members
of congress are convinced that dis
cretionary decisions after the out
break of a war in Europe must in
volve side-taking, hence may in
volve the United States in the con-
flict.
1t is argued in defense OF discre-
ton for the President that a man.
datory law EMBRACING shipments
TO belligerents with an even hand
is anything but neutral, works gross
injustice. As in Spain against the
loyalists.
Anything can come out of the neu-
trality situation on Capitol Hill.
Washington Stag Dinners
Generally Misunderstood
Few things in Washington are so
generally misunderstood as some Of
, the big stag dinners which occur at
regular intervals-four of them an
nually, and one twice a year.
For instance the annual 'wallow'
of the Military Order of the Cara
bao. The average citizen would
never have heard about these wal
i lows if it had not been for Will
liam Jennings Bryan When the
Commoner was secretary of state
he discovered that line in one of
the songs which the Carabao were
to sing at their dinner read: Civil
lie them with a Krag," meaning
of course the rifle which was regu-
lar army equipment during the Phil
ippine instruction.
Thir unna 4ba n1sx~tr., tIn wz4,1..
one it still entertains when it thinks
about the Carabao at all, that the
members are bunch of fire-eaters
who would like to apply Japanese
conquest methods in the islands. Ac-
tually the only thing on which the
organization seems to be agreed is
that the islands its members fought
to hold should be retained indefinite
ly by the United States. That is
not an. unnatural attitude for men
who have passed the prime of life,
and are looking backward at the
| days of their youth and effort. Nat
urally they do not want that big ex-
, perience in their lives to count for
nothing, and that is the way they
would feel if the United States
should, as they put it, "scuttle" in
the Philippines.
Actually, however, General Agui-
naldo has been an honored guest at
these "wallows," and 50 have other
insurrecto leaders. More OF the blue
and gray spirit Of Civil war reunions
prevades the wallows than any
thought of bitterness.
For the last 20 years not word
has been said or sung at a Cara
bao Wallow that would not have
been approved at the White House,
the state department, or the Hobbies
OF the Philippine congress. The din
ners have been more like college
class reunions than anything else.
Correspondents Dinners
Clorifed J. duderille Shoes
The White House Correspondents
dinners have become glorified
vaudeville shows, with the added
eclat for visitors that the President
of the United States and most of the
cabinet are always present. Actu-
ally SO per cent of the entertainment
ic proyidpd nv prnfaccianolc ,,cuaIty,