The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-10-19
(By Staff Writer)

Washington - After the first
two or three days Of debate IN
the Senate on the Neutrality BILL
Senators began to take off their
false mustaches and show their
faces.
In other words, the pretense
that the purpose of the Congress
and the President is to keep the
nation neutral in the European
war has been all but abandoned.
The clear purpose, which is be-
ing disclosed as the discussions 60
on, is to be about as un-neutral
as a nation can be without actual
ly going to war 1t is to help the
Allies. Britain and France, by
giving them every assistance
short of actually taking part in
hOstilities.
That is the purpose Of the lift
ing CT the embargo on the ship
ment of arms and ammunition to
nations at war. In spite of the eff
forts of Administration opponents
to retain the embargo, it is con-
sidered here a practical certainty
that it will be washed out.
The protests of the vast num-
Der of people who have written
to their Senators and Congress-
men urging the retention Of the
embargo are not being disregard
ed, but the attitude of members
of both houses, with some excep-
lions, is that these protests come
from people who honestly believe
that the embargo is the only way,
or the best way, to keep the U. S.
out of war.
There is no let-up in the deter
mination to do everything hu-
namely possible to accomplish
that end, but the conviction is
gaining strength in Congress that
the United States stands back of
the Allies with a steady supply
of fighting airplanes, guns, am
munition and the other imple-
ments of war.
HOOver'S Analysis
One thing which has greatly
strengthened that conviction is
the carefully-prepared analysis of
the relative strength and re-
sources of the warning nations,
prepared by former President
Hoover and given out for publica-
ticn by him.
Few question Mr.. Hoover's ac-
curate knowledge of European af-
fairs, none dispute his ability as
an analyst of statistical informa-
ton. Therefore, when he mar
shalled all the facts and drew
from them the positive conclu-
sion that Hitler cannot win and
that the French and British can
carry en- to victory without the
aid of American soldiers and bat
tleships, provided they can OBJ
tain the necessary fighting ma
teria1s from this and other coun-
tries, his statement provided am
munition for the proponents OF
the embargo of which they are
making good use.
Nobody thinks of questioning
Mr.. Hoover's sincerity when he
declares that he wants to keep
America out of war. Few nom
combatants saw so much of the
horrors Of war from 1914 to 1918
as did this Quaker whose reli-
gious tenets prevented him from
bearing arms but whose work on
the fighting front of Belgium won
him the acclaim of the whole
world.
Mr.. Hoover is cut of politics in
the sense of not desiring or seek
ing further public office, but he
is a powerful factor in shaping
the policies of his own party, and
more than one vote for embargo
repeal, when the showdown
comes, will be attributed to his
influence.
Now that the question Of the
miscalled "Neutrality'' law is be-
ing discussed more realistically
than emotionally more attention
is being paid to the growing de-
mand from business interests for
repeal of the arms embargo.
Encourages Business
Once American business is free
from legal restrictions upon the
production and sale of any kind
of supplies to the Allied govern
ments, it is reasonably certain
that a considerable increase in
business activity in this country
will follow.
That does not necessarily mean
"profiteering." It is more than
probable that the lifting of the
embargo will be accompanied by
legislation which will effectively
prevent anything more than nor