Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-23


tries the axis David Lawrence.
dominates.
What the Nazi authorities do not
realize is that their charge of I'M
neutrality is based upon interna-
tional law as it used to exist. Neu-
trality was abolished by the Nazis
when they invaded Denmark, Nor
way, Belgium and Holland. All So
called neutral nations were there
upon put on notice that whenever
it suits the Nazi government to
seize neutral territory or property
1t will do so.
The United States Government
has adopted as its foreign policy
a program of defense against po-
tential aggression. While hopeful
that the NaZis will never attack
American territory or attempt to in
wade this hemisphere, the United
States Government cannot be sure,
in view Of the Nazi attitude toward
neutral nations, just what contin-
gencies may arise. This is why the
American policy of defense is to i'm
pound any funds possessed by ma
tons under Nazi control and to turn
over to Great Britain any or all
facilities which will tend to keep
the Nazis from ever being able to
attack the United States.
U. S. Attitude Analysed.
The American policy can be tech
nically called one of passive bel
Hgerency as distinguished from
active belligerency, in which Ameri-
can man power would be put into
action. The difference is solely be-
tween money or property, on the one
hand, and man power on the other.
With respect to the use of private
or public property for the aid OF
belligerents during wartime, a volu-
minouS set of rules has been built
up under international law for CEN
turtles. All such rules now have, in
effect, been declared imperative by
the United States Government as
a measures of defense against the
ruthless violation of neutral terri
tory and property by the Nazis.
This, therefore, is the American
foreign policy which the Nazi gov
eminent may Indignantly protest.
but it is a direct consequence OF
the abandonment of all rules by
the Nazis themselves.
So far as technical neutrality IS
concerned the United States Gov
eminent abandoned it completely
in two important respects since
May 10, when the Nazis invaded
Holland and Belgium.
First was the release to Britain
of average destroyers. Irrespective
of the fact that air bases were OBJ
tanned in compensation, the fact re-
mains that neutral governments Go
not by subterfuge or otherwise
make available their warships to
belhgerent government and expect
to be called neutral"
The second step was to finance
with Government money certain
factories in America at work on
defense orders for Britain. This is
another action not customarily I'M
dertaken by neutral governments.
Roosevelt Feels U. S. Backs Moves.
American public opinion, however,
Is believed by President Roosevelt
to favor the course he has taken
and to favor even more aid than
has been extended. That is why,
when Britains cash resources dWin-
die, America is planning to make
available arms and ammunition on
q loan or lease basis-an equally
unneutral process in the historic
sense in which the word neutral is
used.
Will this not lead to war? Theoret-
ically it should, because when one
nation abandons neutrality and
allies itself in fact if not in name
with belligerent, the enemy state
does not hesitate to recognize such
an act of war. But for reasons Of
their own, historic terms are ignored
by belligerents and acknowledgements
nowadays. Japan, for example, still
insists hers was no war on China
and hence from the viewpoint OF
the United States no official en-
barge under our old neutrality laws
was ordered. Likewise Japan openly
proclaimed an alliance with Ger
many and said to the United States
that at any given moment the Toxic
government would conStrue for itself
whether America was engaged in
attacking Germany. Yet since then
Japan has not declared war on
America and America has not de-
clared war on Japan.
Germany is not likely to declare
war on the United States and prob
ably will not make for the present
a physical attack on any Of the
territory of this country or our
neighborS in this hemisphere-all
for a very good reason. That reason
is that there is no way the Nazls
would then be able to prevent the
immediate use of American man
power, including the American
Navy, in aid of Britain.
Japan's Role in Doubt.
So long as American aid is con-
fined to material assistance and even
to the seizure and transfer to Brit
ain of the axis merchant ships, the
Nazis may feel they can still con-
ouer the British. But they cannot
be certain what will happen if the
United States gets into the fray, too
They know, however that the
japanese cannot be depended upon
to play the Nazi game to the extent
Of an actual war with the United
States, for after all the Chinese
problem isn't liquidated and there
is not telling what might happen in
the Far East if the United States
really got behind China and gave
to the Chinese real weapons of war
The Berlin strategy thus far has
been one of bluff, in which Toxic
has gladly concurred because it cost
Toxic very little to play along with
the Nazis. But if Britain begins tt
get the upper hand Japan would not
wish to be found isolated from both
the United States and the British