Evening star., 1939-06-30

CiiAbal So OIi Uilt odle OI arms 10 Del-
ligerent nations He showed how
the law as it now stands "favors
strong nations as against weaker
nations, and warlike nations against
peace-seeking nations" He pointed
out that the present statute, far
from making us neutral, makes us a
silent partner of nations that have
pres armed" He believed the oc-
casion might we'll arise, in the event
Of war in Europe. when the moral
indignation" of the people would
compel repeal of the embargo.
Having regard for the realities. he
asked why it was not wiser to scrap
the embargo now rather than run
| the risk OF having to do it, in re-
sponse to an outraged public opin-
ion after the outbreak of hostili-
ties, when repeal would become an
act Of war. It seemed to him that
| the best way to safeguard our own
peace was to face the facts and
act now"
Begins to Back Up.
But after he had made his cogent
and fortnight argument for repeal.
Mr., Barton began to back up. In an
effort to satisfy both those who want
an embargo and those who don't,
and also, as he said, to bring to the
Capitol IAN atmosphere of peace and
good will he recommended a COM
promise on the middle ground of a
modified embargo" He suggested
/ that the embargo be made to run
| only against what he called "lethaI
weapons and that warning foreign
nations be permitted to buy our air.
planes, trucks, automobiles. petro-
leum. cotton, or even scrap iron,
though 1t is recognized that these
are esential to the successful con-
| duct of war"
Incredible, you think, that this
! distinction should have been seri-
ously made in the halls of Congress2
1t can be found in the Congressional
Record.
! Quite as remarkable as the pro-
posal itself is the reasoning by which
| the Congressman sought to justify
it. What our people object to
| principally" he said. is the manu-
facture OF the guns and shells with
which slaughter is accomplished
=. They do not want to be
partners directly in the shedding of
| human blood .. There is not
the same general objection to the
purchase by foreigners of our air
I planes. etc. =. These are not
primarily lethal weapons. An en-
barge limited to lethal weapons
might we'll satisfy the desires of
| those of our fellow citizens to whom
the embargo idea has become a
symbol and hope =. A COM
promise on the middle ground
would comfort our own people. 1t
would be an adequate warning to
aggressor nations, and at least
partial reinsurance to nations likely
to be attacked.
And then there was that part
about bringing peace and good will
to the Capitol through the compro-
mise. after which I'VE could all go
home
Argument Writes Own Answer.
I don't want to labor the point
that what Mr.. Barton has urged in
order to comfort our people is
about as hypocritical device as
could be imagined. His argument
writes it's own answer, He himself,
in fact, wrote the answer in the fine
first part of his speech. Nor is there
any intention here to make a COL
umnist's spectacle of Mr.. Barton,
who happens to be a man far above
the average of congressional ability
and intellectual honesty. 1t is pre-
cisely because he Is this kind OF
man that his facing both ways pro-
posal in the neutrality debate fur
nishes a good text for a few general
observations on the ways of politics.
The proposal, as I have said, is
remarkable. But it is remarkable
only to the lay mind, not to that
of the average politician. The trim
ming. the effort to satisfy divergent
groups of people, that is manifest in
the Barton compromise is of the
very essence of the game of politics
as it is typically played. No counsel
of perfection should be offered, for
the game has always required, of
those who would stay in it, some
thing less than a 100 per cent adj
herence to personal conviction.
What is suggested by the example
I have chosen-and by others that
might be cited out of the record of
this Congress-is that the ground on
which the average politician stands
is becoming narrower and narrower.
The reason for this is the multiple
cation and the increasing power OF
the pressure groups.
Now and then we have the in
spring sight of a politician risking
political death to stand by his con-
victions. Norris of Nebraska has
done it on more than one notable oc-
casion. Representative Wadsworth
Of New York, when he was a Sena-
tor. nailed his prohibition colors
to the mast and went down with the
flag flying; a deeply held belief
was worth more to him than a seat
in the Senate. Oscar Underwood
retired from public life rather than
truckle to the Klan. Senator Ben
nett Clark of Missouri showed
superb political courage when he
got into the forefront of the fight
against the Presidents scheme to
pack the Supreme Court.
Other Striking modern instances
Of refusal to surrender conviction
to expediency could be cited But
not many. The increasing practice
Is to comfort" as many voters as
possible. For illumination on this
subject. read Raymond Moley's
article in the current Saturday Eve.
ming Post on how the speeches made
by Mr.. Roosevelt in his 1882 CAM
paign were concocted. Or read
any issue Of the Congressional
| Record.