Evening star., 1941-06-01

TINE "isolationists" and "non-inter-
l. ventionists" of today had their pro-
totypes in the Senate and in the House in
1917 and in 1919. In 1917 this country was
on the verge of entering the World War,
and in 1919 it was close to entry into
the League of Nations. The isolationists
of those days did not succeed in keeping
this country out of war. They did sue
ceed however, in keeping the country
from joining the League of Nations.
Whether the Wheelers, the Johnsons
and the Clarks of today will be able to
claim credit later on for having steered
this country clear of entry into the
present war in Europe depends par
ticularly on three things-the sentiment
of the American people, the leadership
of President Roosevelt and the final at
titude of Adolf Hitler. IA n
To. date there have been none of the
incidents" which whipped America into
a fighting mood under the leadership Of
President Wilson. But there is today
strong feeling of sympathy for the
British, who are fighting with their backs
to the wall More important, there is a
growing belief that this fight is, after
all, Americas fight-and that this
country, if it enters the war, will do so
because of its own defense needs.
One Is on Other Side Now.
As in 1917 and later in 1919-there are
isolationists and on-interventionists of
varying shades. Only eight of the
present Senators were members Of that
body when it turned back the League of
Nations Covenant, and only four were
on hand to vote on the war resolution
in April, 1917. When the armed mer-
chant ship" or armed neutrality resolu-
ton was defeated, March 4. 1917, in an
all-night filibuster by handful of
Senators, just two members of the
Senate today, Smith of South Carolina
and Norris of Nebraska, were in that
body. The other Senators who were able
to vote on the war resolution were
McKellar of Tennessee and johnson of
California. Senators McNary of Oregon,
Capper of Kansas, Walsh of Massa-
chusetts and Harrison: of Mississippi
joined the Senate in time to vote on the
Versailles Treaty and League of Nations,
November 49, 1919.
Of these Senate veterans, one who
was a violent antiwar isolationist in
1917 and an opponent of the League of
Nations in 1919. is now of the opinion
that this country must do everything
in it's power to stop Hitler, and is going
along with the foreign policy of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. He is Senator Norris
of Nebraska. Another, Senator john
son of California, voted for the war reso-
luton in 1917 and fought bitterly the
entry of this country into the League
of Nations He continues today an out
standing isolationist. Senator Walsh oc.
cupies much the same isolationist posi-
tion he did in the league fight.
Lease-Lend Vote Shows Stand.
No vote in the Senate has been taken
yet which shows with certainty the stand
of Senators more clearly than that or
the lease-lend bill. All the isolationists
voted against the bill, and yet all the
Senators who supported the bill can
not be called "interventionists" NOT YET
| at any rate The vote on that measure
stood, 60 to 81, with four Senators not
voting and one vacancy in the Upper
House.
| The isolationists and non-interven-
tionists of the World War period have
their prototypes in the Senate now
In many cases they come from the same
States Senators Stone and Reed oI
Missouri of the World War days art
succeeded by Bennett Clark of Missouri
who served as colonel in A. E. F..
Borah Of Idaho, regarded as leading
isolationist in the league fight and unit
the time of his death, Is succeeded by
Thomas and Clark of Idaho, both o.
whom are isolationists Of today. Tht
late Senator Brandegee of Connection
has his Danaher of today; the late Sena'
tor Gronna of North Dakota has hi
Nye; the late Senators Mccormick ant
Sherman of Illinois have their Brooks
Senator Moses of New Hampshire ha
his Tobey; the late Senator Bob" Ii
Toilette Of Wisconsin has his son, Bob
I La Toilette; the late Senator Chpp o