The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-10-02
Former Executive
Of New York State
Broadcasts Appeal
Declares Nations of World Show No Respect Today
for International Law-Pleads to Keep Ameri-
can Citizens Ships Out of War Zones y

tons in connection with the pro-
posed substitute for the present
Neutrality Act. Apparently there
are some learned people who think
we should give lot Of time to a
discussion of whether the Con-
stitution of the United States per-
mits Congress or the Senate, as
well as the President, to decide
that foreign war exists. What is
the difference? The Presidents
decision would be based on con-
ferences with congressional lead
ers anyway and would be subject
to review by Congress. In crisis
there is no time for legalistic hair
splitting.
Let Congress go straight to the
real issue and let Congress decide
it, because, after all, Congress
speaks for the people of the
country; that is my understand
ing of democratic, representative
government.
"The Neutrality Act as it stands
today prevents the sale to a bellig-
erent nation of any completed i'm
plements of war, but it allows the
sale of many types of uncompleted
implements of war, as well as all
kinds of general materials and
supplies" These words are taken
from the speech of the President
of the United States when Con-
gresS convened last week.
He further says that the present
law allows such products of in
dustry and agriculture to be taken
in American ships to belligerent
nations, and he concludes that
therein lies the definite danger,
not only to our neutrality but to
our peace. I am unable, in the
light of history, to understand
how that statement can be sue
cessfully disputed.
Look at the Record
Let us go back into history, or,
as I have many times said, let's
look at the record. Many reasons
were advanced as the cause of our
entering the World War twenty
two years ago.
Nobody can truthfully say, in
the light of history, that Wood
row Wilson was anxious to plunge
this country into the World War.
In fact, he leaned in the directly
opposite way. Long before he
called upon Congress to declare
war against the Imperial Govern
ment of Germany, because of the
sinking of American ships, there
was distinct feeling throughout
the country that we should go to
war, to vindicate the dignity and
the majesty and the sovereignty
of this great republic. In a con-
versation with his secretary In
1916, after a submarine had sent
an American ship to the bottom,
he said: II will not be rushed
into the war, no matter If every
last Congressman and Senator
stands up on his hind legs and
proclaimS me coward"
However, in the latter part of
January of 1917 Germany an
nounced to the United States that
she was going to begin on Feb. /
unrestricted submarine warfare
in the zone around the British
Isles and undertook to specify the
route which restricted number
of American ships might take
through this zone. When the Sec
rotary to the President brought
that Associated Press bulletin to
the White House and showed it to
the President, he said: This
means war. The break that we
have tried so hard to prevent now
seems inevitable"
Here we are under the present
Neutrality Act facing that exact
situation. The law as 1t now
stands allows supplies to bellig-
erent country to be carried in
American ships; supplies which
will be needed for the prosecution
of the war, although not named
in the Neutrality Act.
neutral SnlpS SUNK
But all of that seems to me to
be entirely beside the question in
view of the attitude of the Ger.
man Government as shown by the
destruction of two Swedish steam
ships. The attitude of Berlin to
the sinking of these two ships
clearly indicates that the German
Government does not recognize
any difference between the goods
covered by the American embargo
and the goods that are not COW
cred by the embargo. That means
that anything delivered to bellig-
erent nations In American ships
puts the ship in danger of destruc-
ton and means the loss of the
lives of American seamen.
I believe that we should proven,
the transportation in American
ships of any goods of any kind,
war goods or other goods, contra
band or on-contraband, or any
passengers to the warning ma
lions. 1t is undoubtedly the alb
sence of such a law in 1917 that
brought us into the World War
There is only one way of avoiding
a repetition of this experience
and that is by keeping American
ships and American passengers
out of trade with belligerents.
The distinction between contra
band and non-contraband, war
material and non-war material is
essentially the bunk. As a matter
of fact, the Swedish boats were
carrying lumber, and that was de-
clared to be contraband of war
because 1t is used for snoring in
coal mines, which produces fuel
necessary for the production of
war materials.