Evening star., 1939-09-22

days.
But Mr.. Roose- ~ -
velt did more. David Lawrence.
He wrote a message which cannot
but be construed throughout the
world as defensive-a message which
intimates the possibility that in
world of might -makes-righ no ma
ton can afford to apply its rules on
any other basis than those which
have always existed in international
law governing the rights of neutrals.
Thus, the President took particu-
lar pains to answer the suggestion
of those who say it is unneutral to
change the statutes now that war
has come. He turns the matter
back by specifically enumerating his
various requests as far back as last
January when there was no war. BY
inference he places the responsibility
for failure to make the change on
those who voted this pas summer in
the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee to postpone action till the
regular session of next January. His
point is that the pro- embargo group
cannot have it both Ways-prevent-
ing action by threatening filibuster
before war broke out, and insisting
that to change now is unneutral.
The President offered no new
arguments in behalf of repeal. The
idea that America must ship to
Russia anything she wants, but cam
not send anything of war supplies to
Britain and France is one SO obvi-
pusly inconsistent, in the view of the
administration, that correction of
this deviation can only be made by
repeating any statute that goes
counter to international law.
Chance of Involvement.
1t is plain to see that the Presi-
dent would prefer to have the cash
and-carry'' program put into effect
without legislation so that excep-
tions can be made in the matter of
travel by citizens who have legiti-
mate errands. But, on the other
hand, if Congress insists on barring
all travel in war zones, the EXecu-
tive will not object, though it is
hard to see why simple pronounce
ment that the American Govern
ment would not afford protection to
not have the same effect as legisla-
ton, without subjecting our own
authorities to the difficult task of
prosecuting someone who went
abroad at his own risk and took a
belligerent ship because it was the
only way to get from one neutral
port to another.
The chance of involvement in war
arises for the most part out of a
belief that the American Govern
ment will hold Germany to a strict
accountability for attacking Ameri-
can citizens when travelling on the
high seas. But the proclamation of
a President saying that Americans
should not travel in war zones is in
itself an announcement Of the with
drawal of that protection. The
trouble in 1917 was that Germany
attacked American as we'll as foreign
ships, and sank them with innocent
American citizens on board.
Nobody in Congress has yet pro-
posed that the United States shall
announce to the world a complete
abandonment of the rights of her
citizens on the high seas. though
this, to be sure, is the real position
of the isolationists. Some of them
would really like to 60 as far as
the President challenged them to do,
namely, to shut off all American
commerce with the outside world,
foodstuffs, supplies and raw ma
terials included if it meant possible
involvement. The difficulty is that
submarine warfare now is being
waged against any and all articles
of supply, and that so far as Ameri-
can ships are concerned, they will
be sunk, too, if found carrying any
cargoes whatsoever which might
reach Britain or France.
Public's Indifference.
But the sinking of American ships
Is apparently not going to bestir
the American people as it did in
1917. There is growing up feeling
of indifference, exemplified in the
attitude of the country when the
steamer Athena was torpedoed
without warning
If, therefore, it is the opinion of
the nation that travel on the high
seas should not be permitted to be-
come an incident of war with Ger
many, there is no special reason
why any and all supplies cannot be
sold to be carried off in the ships
of foreign countries. The theory
that Germany may resent Americas
supplying airplanes and would not
resent the export of raw materials
used to make the planes is not likely
to gain much ground.
The isolationist bloc will fight any