Montana labor news., 1939-11-30

s%hipowners.
lifting of the arms embargo at this
time, as they were bound to be.
The allies are jubilant over the
prospect of obtaining additional
supplies as is only natural (even if
they do have to pay cash for them.
Both the resentment on the one
hand and the rejoicing on the other
should leave all good Americans
cold. For while various motives may
have influenced the stands taken by
congressional supporters or oppo-
nents of this neutrality bill, it looks
as though the consideration upper
most in the minds of the great ma
jority of our representatives was
the desire to adequately protect our
country and make it impossible for
us to become involved in the war.
While the debate was in progress,
there was considerable evidence of
foreign propaganda, designed to in
fluence the decision of Congress.
Nazi interests sought to strengthen
the opposition to repeating the en-
barge and the English and French
naturally used their influence to
have the embargo lifted.
However there is no reason to be-
lieve that either brand of propa-
ganda had any appreciable influ-
ence on the votes in either Senate
or House. Whatever part was played
by either sympathy or prejudice, it
was not, and could not have been
the determining factor.
The issue was too we'll defined
and too vital to this country's vel
fare to be swayed by such consider
atoms. That issue was: The Best
Means of Injuring Americas Peace.
In the opinion of the majority of
peoples representatives it was felt
that the existing so-called neutral
ity law, was totally inadequate as
a safeguard against war, and that
it should be replaced by a statute
framed in the light and the lessons
Of the present emergency.
That same emergency was very
evidently seen by the President last
summer, but the Congress con-
trolled by the Republicans and the
Roosevelt-hating Democrats could
not, OF would not, see with the
President, consequently we have
this belated enactment of an act
that should have become a law be-
fore war vas declared.
Contrary to what some people
might believe, this legislation places
us in an entirely different position
to what we were in prior to our en-
try into the World War.
From 1914 to 1917 every American
vessel that put forth from our ports
to Europe was a hostage to fortune,
a floating invitation to war. We all
wanted peace, but in reality we
were doing nothing but asking for
trouble.
Our people freely took passage
on belligerent vessels, relying on
their American citizenship as a
shield and protection. When those
ships were sunk, our government
wrote notes to Berlin until patience
was exhausted.
When the English defied all in
ternational law and took over CON
troll of all neutral shipping; even our
legitimate trade with other neu-
trails, we again protested but our
protests were ignored. Now the Ger
man submarines can go on a ram
page and the British can blockade
to their hearts content, but with
our new law in effect, we can COM
%placently sit on the sidelines and
say, it's Not Our Funeral"
Any American citizen or any
American ship that disregards the
law made for this country's protec-
ton against involvement in this war
will be subject to heavy domestic
penalties, in addition to the trouble
they might encounter at sea; and
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