Evening star., 1940-06-12
Neutrality Act
Repeal Urged
Abandonment of Our Riahts
Termed Helpful
To Germany
To the Editor of.The Star:

To Germany
To the Editor of.The Star:
AT the crossroads of destiny the United
States stands bewildered and irresolute.
To follow the course that duty dictates
would require the repeal of those fea-
lures of the neutrality law which con-
travene the treaty rights of combatant
nations, and which, by surrendering to
arbitrary force our rights of commerce,
prevent America from fulfilling its duty
to the race.
The awakening Nation is now aware
that the German war spirit and organi-
Zatlon constitute a universal menace,
and that the act Of the United States, by
prohibiting its mercantile vessels from
commencing in the war zones. a COM
merce sustained by the law of nations,
deprived the European neutrals of the
moral support Of America and thus in
creased their exposure to the lawless
and arbitrary will of the Germans.
Americas Neutrality Act removed from
the world temple of law and civilization
column that supported it's superstruc-
ture; at the bar of history, this fault of
the United States may be adjudged re-
sponsible for the collapse of that edifice.
The Nation seems to be desirous, if
possible, of continuing its illusion of iso-
lation, and the longer this willful ignor-
ing of the Nations duties as a guardian
Of universal rights is continued the
greater will be the final cost in life and
treasure.
There is no legal limit to the right of
conquest by force, and the only existing
right to limit it is the equally legal right
to oppose force to force, a right pos
sessed by any nation that considers it's
interests, territories or independence to
be menaced.
The United States, by its retreat from
duty, and by its waving of rights in the
neutrality law. contributed to the dis
asters suffered by the neutrals of Europe
and by France and England.
Those wrongs cannot Immediately be
rectifed; however. they emphasize the
imperative duty Of the United States to
return to its historic polity of fairness
and Justice, and to compel respect for its
rights of commerce, ceasing inglorously
to sacrifice these rights to a nation
whose government boasts that 1t is by
war reshaping the world, and illustrates
its boast with the pictures of the slaugh-
tered neutral nations. Such new
world, in which the voice of brute force
u-n,l1G hp Of ;oI,
many would be suzeran, Americas neu-
trality law is assisting to create.
The duty of the United States is not
to France and England. It's duty is to
the world. including the German ma
ton itself. which is presently dominated
by an absolutist war cult that denies the
right of men to freedom, and the rights
of nations to justice. The antithesis of
the German political concept is the Con-
stitution of the United States. The
present German constitution is the en-
envy of the race: it would enslave man
to the most distant possible thrust of the
German arms. In its nature it is hostile
to and challenges the American Consti-
tuition.
Germany Is less potentially than ac-
tually at war with the United States to-
day. With the sacrifice of each neutral
victim, American rights and interests
were sacrificed and each battle against
the constitutions of France and England
is battle against the Constitution of
the United States.
Besides restoring to the American
mercantile marine our Nations Just and
indisputable rights, our Government
would be justified in declining longer to
recognize the government of Germany,
and in proclaiming to the world that the
existing government of Germany by it's
unparalleled acts of laWlessness and in
justice, is not entitled to participate in
the comfy of nations, and is adjudged
to place itself outside the pale of civili-
Zation.
The alternative would seem to be to
promote the sort of world opposed to
each idea and ideal for which America
stands that the German government
processes to be preparing, and in which
that government would be dominant and
pOSlllUll ulUSl u1lplcdSdIlG dllU
precarious.
The present polity of America derives
from retreat and an implied compromise
with Germany; a suspension of our
rights and an implied agreement with
Germany that our rights will be respected
if we do not exercise them! That part of
the structure of international law COM
prising the rights of neutrals. which re-
quired centuries to build, and to which
the United States contributed vitally,
our Nation is now seeing demolished,
mostly for the reason that our neutrality
law tacitly maintains that a neutral
possesses no rights of commerce that it
ought to practice if combatant power
goes lawless and denies that any neutral
possesses any rights against its arbitrary
will EDWARD CONN,
June T.