Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-12-22

Credits Legislation With
Shielding U. S. From
War incidents
To the Editor Of The Star:
Even the most casual observer cannot
fail to grasp the fact that the Neutrality
Act Is unquestionably helping US to avoid
ENHANCEMENT in the belligerent affairs Of
Europe, as well as saving American ship
ping interests millions of dollars by deny
ing their ships the right to ply the mine
infested waters. Just these two facts
alone are worth the effort 1t took TO get
the act through the Congress.
To really appreciate what this Neutral
ity Act is accomplishing in the way of
preventing recurrent crises, one should
read Randolph Greenfield Adams "A
History Of the Foreign Policy Of the
United States" He points out that dur
AAAe VIC Ano ooo6ec VI VIC WOI4u war
the United States followed pretty closely
the Interpretation of our Chancellor
Kent as regards its shipping rights, i. e.,
"A trade by neutral In articles contra
band Of war Is lawful trade, though
trade OF necessity subject to incon-
venience and loss" But from almost the
beginning of the World War England
considered practically everything Ger
many needed as constituting contraband
OF war, one British writer even claiming:
with the exception of human hair,
there is not a single element or sub
stance which could not in some way be
made to serve military purpose.
AS consequence of this Interpretation
of contraband, England began her sys-
tenn of orders in council, the Premier
declaring: In dealing with opponents
who have openly repudiated all re-
straints of both law and humanity we
are not going to allow ourselves to be
straneled by network Of judicial nice
ties for there is no form OF economic
pressure to which we do not consider our
selves entitled to resort" And finally, as
pointed out by Mr.. Adams, after the Ger
man merchant marine was forced from
the seas; and as a result of England's
attitude toward all ships headed for Ger
many, supplies intended for Germany
were sent from the United States and
South America to Denmark and Holland.
At that time Germany commended that
no belligerent had the right to molest
traff1c from one neutral to another.
England promptly resurrected the old
Rule of l756 with its corollary Doctrine
OF Continuous Voyage and began to prey
on ships loaded with supplies from the
United States destined to any European
neutral. BY therall Of 1915 England had
issued an order in council demanding
that ships papers either prove the
destination of its goods, or the burden
OF proof that such goods were not in
tended for Germany would be imposed
upon the neutral merchant to whom the
goods had been consigned This was
aimed especially at Denmark, who. before
the war, had exported meat, but who,
since the war. had been importing great
quantities and sending it on to Germany.
And strange as it may seem, England's
attitude in this instance was exactly that
of the United States during the Civil
War when England was shipping goods
for the use of the Confederacy to Nassau.
Despite this the Secretary of State
received countless protests from shippers
and pro-Germans when American goods
failed to reach their destination. The
Secretary in turn protested to England
quite vehemently at times-thus leading
many IN America to believe that we were
on the verge of war with England. How
ever, before the United States could
formulate definite policy Germany re-
taliated with her unrestricted submarine
warfare claiming that America was I'M
neutral in conduct and that because of
this attitude on our part Germany was
justified in sinking any vessel of the
enemy on the high seas without giving
the crew or passengers time to escape.
Subsequently many Americans lost their
lives. and this fact coupled with count
less other infringements on our neutral
rights by Germany finally led the United
States into the war on the side of the
allies.
All of this was only repetition of our
troubles on the high .seas which have
arisen during every major conflict in
Europe since the inception of American
shipping interests. Especially was it but
repetition of what led us into actual
war with England in 1872 Since the
ruthless German mine offensive which
has destroyed thousands of tons of bellig-
erent and neutral shipping, and Great
Britain's subsequent order blockading
even the exports from Germany. we have
ample cause to be truly thankful for the
Neutrality Act. D. D. D.
December 10, 1899.
Says Real Civilization