Evening star., 1939-06-14

IL tllCS mas
been any more brazen appeal to
group prejudices in the fight on this
bill, the writer has not seen 1t. At
tention is directed particularly to
the last sentence of the following
extract:
Methodists, Baptists and other
elements opposed to selling arms
and ammunition to belligerent
nations are against the Bloom
bill. All internationalists, in
terventionists and Communists
who want us to fight Germany
and Japan for the benefit Of
Soviet Russia are clamoring for
the Bloom bill. On the other
hand, all Americans who be-
Heve in cur traditional policies
OF neutrality, peace, non-inter.
Ventlon and no entangling alli.
ances will oppose it every inch
OF the way. The loyal German
element in the United States.
amounting to one-fifth of our
population, will naturally oppose
it. as will the loyal Italian ele-
ment among our population.
1t seems incredible, particularly
IN this time Of international ten.
sion, that a man in the high and
responsible position of Mr.. Fish
should be guilty Of this incitement
to mass action by racial elements
IN the population.
Use Of Word Unfortunate.
The use Of the word loyal" in his
appeal is unhappy. He speaks Of
the loyal German element" and
the 'loyal Italian element" Loyal
to the American Government and
the American way of life or loyal
to a foreign scheme of things? It
must be supposed, charitably, that
what Mr.. Fish is invoking is the
loyalty OF German-Americans and
1talian-Americans to the American
Government. There is, however, an
unfortunate ambiguity in his Lam
guage.
1t will be a sad reflection on the
Senate, "the greatest deliberativs
body IN the world" If the forth.
coming debate in that body reflects
the tactics OF the New York Rep
resentative.
But whatever Mr.. Fish or tho
band now organizing for protracted
opposition in the Senate NAV saw.
there is good ground for the belief
that the bill will go through. The
administration has only to stand
by its guns.
The isue is clear enough. Stripped
to its essentials. it is whether this
country is going to retain a policy
that plays straight into the hands
OF the dictators or is going to adopt
policy advantageous to France and
England.
Those countries, however far their
practice may fall short of their
democratic pretensions, are better
than the other side. They do con.
stitute first line of defense of the
democratic ideal. Enlightened self
interest dictates the passage of the
bill recommended by the State De-
partment-not in order to make the
world sa1e Tor democracy but to
help keep America safe.
Popular Polls Show View,
Popular polls indicate that the
issue is seen in these terms by the
great majority Of the people, and
If this is correct diagnosis no
Senate f1libuster and no appeals to
racial prejudice by Mr.. Fish can
succeed. Again the qualification
must be added: II the administra-
ton stands firm.
Speaking of racial prejudice, I
wish that Mr.. Fish could have been
in st. Louis not long ago when Q
spokesman Of the German-Ameri-
can Bund couldn't get the use of q
single German-American hall in
which to preach his subversive gos.
pei. The people to whom he sought
to appeal out there wanted none Of
him. There's no doubt what tho
word loyal" means when it is ap-
piled to the community Of citizens
OF German descent In st. Louis.