Evening star., 1939-09-12

and after . major war comes into
existence and the act has been in
voked. Now Congress and the Pres
ident will act in the face Of facts,
not of theories.
Definite Duties ~ Neutral.
II we can remain objective at all
times, unimpulsive in our thinking,
If we can live down slogans and the
effects of words of uncertain mean
ings, upon our actions America can
remain out of the war regardless Of
how severe it may become. Amer
lea can still maintain, not in the
absolute, but generally speaking, all
Of her neutral rights, but we will
maintain our neutral rights longer
if we stress our neutral duties and
If we sincerely live in accordance
with those neutral duties that are
now devolved upon us. Those duties
are rather definite.
The Presidents two proclama-
tions, the Neutrality Act and the
Presidents Sunday night radio talk
have all contributed to showing us
what are our duties. Nothing will
be gained by any one either within
the United States or without If
America finds herself involved in
war. The good that can possibly
come to the world as result Of
restored peace will of necessity be
the good that will come as a result
of a good peace. The more neu-
trails there are in the world when
the time for making peace comes
the better will be the thinking Of
the world and the force Of the OBJ
jective thinking will be able to tenn
per the impulses of both the victor
and the vanquished.
At the end of the World War,
due to the fact that all of the great
nations had entered the war, the
peacemakers and their peoples were
caught between two emotions-one
to punish and the other to build a
new world order. So strong were
these conflicts that it was deemed
necessary to join in one document
both the Furnishing elements and
the constructive plans. This made
universal support for the whole doc
ument impossible and caused those
who really opposed but a part to
oppose the whole. Next time may
the neutral force in the world be
so strong and so aloof that the vic
r-vanquished settlements may be
confined to those limited problems
and the constructive planning for
world peace be left to nations at
peace planning for a peace which
will be upbuilding for all, not a
peace made by victors.
Impartiality Aids Stronger.
Now, every one is interested In
the test of our Neutrality Act. If
it has defects and therefore needs
amendment, those defects will be
shown very quickly. The act i'm
plies a neutrality based upon the
theory Of impartiality. I have al
ways held that, while American
law always assumed this and text
writer's have maintained that neu-
trality meant impartiality, this
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partiality could never be obtain
able Neutrality can be proclaimed
and lived up to, but try as we will
impartiality, even though pro-
claimed, can never be lived up to. If
two nations are contending and a
neutral does nothing the effect of
inaction is to aid the stronger OF
those two nations. If the neutral
acts in an impartial way and treats
each in exactly the same way the
effect still is to aid the stronger. If
the neutral takes sides he, Of
course, is not impartial.
Let us make our illustration even
simpler: Two men are fighting to
the death on a desert One gains
all the water. the other has none.
You, neutral, come along with
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