Evening star., 1939-11-03

40 AetAC vain IlOW
Charles g. Ross. about the "in.
evitability" Of this country's being
drawn into the war. 1t is always
possible, Of course, that some event
in Europe's strange and unpredict-
able conflict will produce an emo
tlonal fare-up in the United States,
but for the present the country IL
taking the war in its stride.
This Is wholesome and reassur.
ing state Of affairs, and the longer 1t
continues the less likelihood there
will be Of our involvement.
If this is a true proposition, then
equally with the thanks which are
due Congress as a whole for its
avoidance OF sensational utterances
should go condemnation Of the loose
and fear-breeding pyrotechnics in
which some Of Its members have in
dulged.
Speech Is Quoted.
Listen, for example, to this saudy
passage from the speech in the
House by Dewey Short, Republican,
OF Missouri. against repeal Of the
arms embargo. If and when the
embargo Is removed, says Mr.. Short,
not only will German submarines
lurk outside our harbors to prevent
the shipment Of munitions to the
allies, but
Sabotage will be widely prac.
ticed and violence will threaten US
in every corner of the land. 80
There are many elements that COM
prise our citizenry, and If we take
sides IN the present dispute we must
expect buildings to be bombed, sub.
ways dynamited, bridges blown up,
trains wrecked, ships sunk, water
supplies polluted and the activities
Of secret agents will be all the more
easy because We have 10,0OO0O
hungry men out Of work. I am no
alarmist, but who for one moment,
In the light Of past experience,
thinks that this is not likely to
happen7"
The answer to Mr.. Shorts cues.
ton Is that very few Of the members
OF Congress, If indeed any of them
outside the gentleman from Mis-
souri, himself, believe for one mo-
ment that repeal Of the embargo
will produce anything approaching
the consequences he predicts.
Another answer would be that to
let fear of Hitler and his American
sympathizers enter into the de.
termination Of the foreign policy Of
the United States would be an un.
speakable surrender-a course 80
craven as to destroy both our ma
tional self-respect and the respect
Of others. 1t would be Q standing
invitation to Hitler to come and get
what he could Of the Western Hem
isphere. All this, however, is beside
the present point, which has to do
only with the utter improbability
that the forebodings Of the too, too
fluent Missouri orator will be rea-
lized.
Mr.. Short, the only Republican
member Of Congress from Missouri,
has been put forward by the State
central committee Of his party as .
candidate for the Vice Presidency.
Is there method in this seeming
Madness desire. perhaps, to put
MIN IN a position which imposes
silence on the occupant?
Great Number Of Credulous,
It may be said that Mr.. Shorts
prophetic Observation-Disclosures in
every corner of the land, etc.-are
so far-fetched that nobody will take
them seriously. It may also be
said that Mr.. Short is not well
enough known for his words to have
any substantial influence. Unhap.
PLY, the number of the credulous
Is great-as shown by the letters
which have come to Congressmen
on the neutrality issue-and unhap.
PLY the same line of argument has
oeen used by others, including the
formidable Father Coughlin.
II, however, Mr. Short can be dis.
missed, what Of Senator Nye, q
leader OF the group against repeal?
Senator Nye told the country the
other day, In a speech at Chicago.
that "in q few weeks" Congress win
be faced with q demand for repeal
OF the cash-and-carry restrictions
on arms shipments. He said. as
quoted by the Associated Press, that
the sale OF munitions to belliRerents
could only result in eventual loans
Senator Nye. whose words carry
weight with many people, makes
these nat prophecies. He makes
them not In the heat Of debate but
IN a speech at a Republican rally.
Senator Nye would not wilfully be
guilty OF deceit. He is entitled to
his opinion. But his words fail
utterly to convey the temper Of
Congress. Embargo repeal could
could never have been put through
gress without the cash-and-carry
provisions If there Is actually "in a
few weeks" the demand that Sena.
tor Nye foresees, 1t won't have q
chance in Congress. He speaks Of
eventual loans" It's Just as good q
prophecy as his-far better, on tho
face Of the evidence-that there
won't be any.