Evening star., 1940-06-07

Is the first step along the lines of
benevolent neutrality which is per-
haps not unlike that which Italy
has maintained since last Septem-
ber.
If American public opinion were
not absolutely preponderant in sup
port of the Allies, the administration
would not have dared to cut red tape
and ignore the spirit of neutrality.
AS matter of fact, the United States
by its embargo policy last year
swung so far away from traditional
international law and custom that
only now is it beginning to be
realized that the Allies would have
been better off if America had put
no obstacles at all in the path of
Britain and France.
The historic idea of neutrality is
that citizens and private ship-oWn-
ers can sell and transport any and
all kinds of war munitions to bel
llgerentS. 1t has been customary,
however, for governments them
selves to avoid any sale of ships or
supplies direct to belligerents. The
moment a government enters into
the picture. either to finance the
transactions or to sell any of its
own military supplies, the so-called
neutrality is gone.
A Token of Obedience.
The American Government still
gives a Semblance Of obedience to
the prophecies by declaring that
the rifles and ammunition in its
warehouses can be sold to private
munitiOn makers as a credit against
new purchases.
It's Just way Of circumventing
the restrictions of law which pop
ular sentiment would like to see
ignored anyway. But this is so
mostly because the people approve
steps short of war in the hope of
casting enough weight into the bal
ance in favor of the Allies and pos
sibly avoiding participation as
full-fedged belhgerent.
The NaziS know that the Ameri-
can Governments course is not
strictly neutral, but it i'll behooves
Berlin to invoke international law
when the invasion of Belgium and
Holland is so vivid in the memory of
outraged citizens all over the world.
The incident, however, is signifi-
cant of what is coming. America
will gradually find ways of giving
more and more assistance to the
Allies. 1t will be done within the
flexible limits of national defense
policy through the executive branch
of the Government and thus avoid
the delays which small minority
might interpose if specific authoriza-
ton were sought by change in the
laws themselves.
Silence Means Acquiescence.
This method of circumventing a
law is not new, but in a time of
national emergency. the failure of
any considerable number of Sena-
tors and Representatives to protest
will be taken to mean the move has
their hearty acquieScence.
The growing desire here is to do
anything to keep the war zone as
far off as possible and this means
that the majority here feel every
aid should be rendered the Allies by
cutting red tape and constituting neu-
trality rules in manner consistent
with the forms but not the spirit
of impartiality that has heretofore
existed.
This procedure means that loans
ultimately may be made which the
Johnson Act would ban. Thus Can
ada is eligible for credit among the
banks of this country. There is
nothing to prevent commercial
credits from being approved pre-
sumably for Canadian non military
uses if the Washington Government
wishes to construe the laws literally
so as to accomplish the desired OBJ
Jectlve, namely, the protection of
the Dominion of Canada against
foreign aggression.
America wants to avoid active bel
ligerency if possible and that is why
to all intentS and purposes the war
resources of the United States are
being rapidly placed at the disposal
of the British and French govern
mentS.
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