Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-08-30

such tactics are DaVid Lawrence.
not calculated to make easier the
coming revision of the present neu-
trality laws.
What the United States needs at
the moment is national unity and,
therefore. to place the blame on the
"isolationist" Senators is merely to
start more controversies and provoke
resentments which are wholly SUI
perf1uous. Nobody is going to be
able to prove conclusively, for one
thing. that Hitler did or did not
derive stimulus from the attitude
Of the isolationists in the United
States Senate. Events in Europe
have way of becoming entangled
without reference to what happens
on this side of the water.
The isolationist Senators did not
foresee what was going to happen.
They realized in sense that they
were taking chance and that
Europe might become embroiled in
war, but they did not think it would
come before the January session of
Congress. Mr. Roosevelt, relying
on secret information from his am
bassadors and ministers, insisted
that a crisis was in the offing. Sen
ator Borah disputed the value of
this information.
There have been so many crises
which have not resulted in war that
many Senators felt there was time
enough at the January session to
deal with neutrality. Others felt
that the very action of the Senate
itself might be taken as unneutral
in serving warning to Germany that
America might supply her potential
opponents. Similarly, administra-
ton Senators for the opposite reason
wanted the neutrality laws revised
20 that America would not be dis
eliminating in favor of Germany
and Italy by withholding supplies
from Britain and France.
Matter of Conjecture.
The neutrality controversy is so
largely matter of conjecture with
respect to the effects of one policy or
the other, that, basically, many
Senators are now beginning to say
that a simple return to the precepts
Of international law may be the best
way out. This would mean removal
OF any restrictions whatever as to
what America could send in the way
OF supplies to any belligerent coun-
try. There would, on the other
hand, most certainly be an amend
ment to the old law so as to require
foreign governments to establish
their own credit here, and to come
and get the products in their own
ships. Title to the foreign purchases
would have to be shifted before the
goods left America.
In this way, the United States
would presumably keep from be-
coming involved in the necessity of
protecting the war trade. Likewise,
American citizens would be required
to keep out of danger zones or to
travel at their own risk.
If Congress were to meet tomor-
row In special session, there seems
little doubt that such amendments
would promptly be made.
The defeat of the administrations
proposal for a revision of the neu-
trality laws so as to allow a return
to international law was accom-
plished by three groups in Congress
those who were fighting the
President on domestic issues and
wanted to administer a defeat. those
who sincerely believed the United
States would become involved if the
war trade were permitted, and those
who thought there was no special
hurry and that January was time
enough to change laws
Would Reflect National Will.
As a matter of fact, special ses-
sion called during a war emergency
abroad would probably be more like
ly to reflect the national will than
measures adopted long in advance of
war when the whole subject is en-
tangled in theoretical considerations.
The administration is hopeful of
peace but is preparing for any con-
tingency. The Government machine
Is functioning without thought of
partisanship or divisions on domes-
tic questions. But administration
ondcials have it in their power to put
q political aspect on current happen
ings by making speeches attacking
their Republican opponents and the
lsolationists in both parties.
Washington being political capt.
tai, there is much gossip as to what
the outbreak of a European war
might do to a national political
campaign. The answer is that the