Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-09
President
Admits Shift
On Neu+raIi+yA
At His Bidding. SoIons
Move Step by Step

BY GEO. BOUTWELL, BROWN
special to THE DETROIT TIMES
WASHINGTON, Oct. CT
asking for repeal or rnodffi-
cation of the Neutrality Act, Mr..
Roosevelt abandons all pretense
that-his foreign policy is peace
policy, and not a war policy.
OF course, the President does
not admit that in so many
words, but that is the sense OF ii.
The Neutrality Act of 1885, as
subsequently amended, became
law by signature of President
Roosevelt.
When he appeared before a
Joint meeting of the two houses
of Congress, on Sept. 81, 1889.
almost exactly two short years
ago, the President was on some-
what ticklish ground. He had
called Congress in extraordinary
session TO recommend repeal OF
the arms embargo.
Speaking Of the original New
Deal neutrality law of 1885, he
felt Obliged to say
IL regret that the Congress
passed that act. I regret equally
that / signed that act"
IN ORDER TO induce Congress
i 10 repeal the embargo provi-
sions' the President then went
on TO define his international
policy. Mind you. this was only
two scant years ago. He said:
II give YOU my deep and UNI
alterable conviction, based on
wears of experience rs a worker
in the field of International
peace, that by the repeal OF the
embargo the United States Will
more probably remain at peace
than IL the law remains as IL
stands today.
IL say this because with the
repeal of the embargo this gov
eminent clearly and definitely
will Insist that American citizens
and American ships keep away
from the immediate perils OF the
actual zones of conflict
LWAYS the President has
n lured Congress. step by step.
toward a belligerent policy. I'M
der the plea that that policy
would preserve the peace. A
little farther along in this adj
dress the President went on TO
say. though these words are not
taken consecutively from the
text:
"The step I recommend Is to
put this country back on the
solid footing OF REAL AND
TRADITIONAL NEUTRALITY.
II believe that American mer-
chant vessels should. so far as
possible. be restricted from en-
tering danger zones.
THE second objective IL 10
prevent American citizens from
travelling on belligerent vessels
or I'm danger zones.
The third objective. requiring
the foreign buyer TO take trans
fer OF title i'm this country Ia
commodities purchased by bel
Iigerents, is also a result which
can be attained by legislation
or substantially achieved through
due notice by proclamation.
s0T,HE fourth objective Is the
Il preventing of war credits
to belligerents.
Under present enactments
arms cannot be carried to
belligerent countries on Ameri-
can vessels AND THIS PRONI-
SION SHOULD NOT BE DIS
TURBED.
ITO those who say that this
program would involve step
toward war on our part, reply
that il offers far greater safe
guards than We now possess or
have ever possessed 10 protect
American lives and property
from danger. IL IL a positive
program for giving safety. This
means less likelihood Of incl
dents, and controversies which
tend 10 draw us into conflict, as
they did in the last World War.
THERE LIES THE ROAD TO
PEACE"
All that the President said,
in this address to Congress. is
now to be swept aside and re-
pudiated, by the repeal of the
Neutrality Act.
Our ships arc TO be armed,
or rather. Congress IS 10 be
asked TO ratify what Mr.. Roose-
Welt has already done, for he
has revealed that some ships
have already been armed.
DEfR6FTa FINES