The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1939-09-14

President Roosevelt is calling q special session Of congress
to consider our neutrality laws. and we ore Dound 10 heu
discussion and agitation about them on all sides during me
next few weeks. One Of the subjects touched on by me Oli
versity Of Chicago Round Table Sunday morning hoo 10 40
with these measures.
1t was stated by one Of the participants in the discussion
thut our present neutrality laws aided Germony' ms IS u
in q way. For as long as we are not gliding France ana Greol
Britoin, we ore in q negative sort OF way, helping their enemy.
1t seems TO US, that our present law is oDout as 'or as 0Y
could be-but thot it does not go tur enough. H.
One OF the factors which hostened our entrance INTO me
Lost European conflict wos q series Of incidents wnlch nVoi-
we'd damage to + American shipping and American uovelers'
There are q great many products which may still be sent
to beliqerent powers in our own ships, which German sub,
sorts Of raw materials and many monutoctured CRUCES, sohe
OF which may be converted into implements OF war IN hlgniy
industnoized England dnd others which will relieve economic
pressure in Greet Britain ornd France.
But if we were to place an embargo on all these Things we
would soon feel the pocketbook pinching over mere: IN mon y
cases. exports may seem negligible but when they are on
added up, they may mean the differnce between q proft ana
just breoking even or q loss TO many OF our formers ana manu-
LECTURERS.
Prices of wheat and cotton. to name two OF our most i'm
portont exports, would foil, instead Of steadily rising as they
have in the past weeks, and there would be q comparable crop
in the prices Of many other commodities. and perhaps IN our
It seems to us thot the so-caned cash and carry" plan.
which President Roosevelt and his aides advocate, is ideal
from omost every point OF view. ond that adoption OF lows TO
put this into effect would materially lessen the Danger OF peril
Gus incidents"
If any power wishes TO bring to our horbors her own mer-
chont ships and load them with American wheot' cotton IRON
copper, or even oirplones and other ormoments. paying Tor
them at the time they are loaded into the boats, our interest
in al. these products ceases before the ships ore out OF sight
Of our coast lines. We lose nothing if the steamer is sunk
American lives ore not endangered.
We must admit that such q policy would be to the 3D.
vuntoqe Of our former allies, for German ships could not call at
our ports. The British have the German fleet effectively bottled
up. General feeling in this country however is in toVor OF
France and Great Brtoin, and we would prefer TO nave q poncy
which was favorable to them than 10 the Ndzis. The wording
and spirit Of the bill should be strictly neutral.
We do think that the portion Of our present neutrality act
which prevents American citizens from travelling on the ships
Of beliqerents, should most certoinly be retained and even
Carried further. Americans who manage 9g TO get themselves Havs or 81
strike, deserve no sympathy from their fellow citizens, no back
ing from our government.
A carefully planned set Of regulations will do much to re-
duce the danger OF incidents" And these few that do occur
in spite Of the best precautions. must be considered in the light
of their importance in comparison to the losses the United States
would sustdin if too much were made OF them.