Evening star., 1941-12-03
Wants United States to Act
For Universal Good" of World.
To the Editor OF The Star:

The abiding glory Of Americas inter-
vention in this most demonic of wars,
and which will be recognized by histor-
ians who must reject the assertion OF
right of self-defense as pronounced by
the political department of our Govern
ment, is that our departure from neu-
trality was for the supreme good, to
protect the constitution and existence of
the civilized nations against their pro-
fessed and lawless adversary.
Thus will the seeming violence to the
law of nations practiced by the United
States be demonstrated 10 be instead
a fulfillment of that laws most basic
rule, which implies the duty of each in
dependent nation to defend the integrity
of the community of nations What is
impermissible in law in the interest of
particular member is commanded in
the interest of the complete society.
Extreme potential mischief resides in
our Governments irrational postulate
that the right of elf-defense justifies
unneutrsl conduct and in the Official
argument that England is fighting Amer
ica's war. The reasons expressed for
our unneutrality are not sanctioned by
any court and are in conflict with the
most vital provisions of the law of ma
tions, a law which the United States
Supreme Court maintains is founded in
reason and which the British courts
assert is sustained by the most distin-
guished judicial persons. The law of
neutrality is so simple that no ambiguity
is possible, and the only legal departure
from neutrality. excepting to go to war,
is in performance of the social duty to
defend the complete society of nations
from the violence of an insurrectionist
who challenges, and by force would re-
duce, that community to his arbitrary
will.
Aside from resolute indisposition Of
the courts to assent to any proposition
that would enfeeble the structure of
international justice, they being peculiar
ly the guardians of the law of nations,
the unsoundness of our legal contention,
which relates to fundamentals and not
to technicalities, would deny to our Gov
ernment and Nation the immense moral
prestige that is derived from the lawful
nations recognition of our action as
being for the universal good and not
for the particular advantage of America
and of nations to whom we may be
partial
A most unpleasant possibility is that
the English people at last may be con-
vinced, as would be natural from the
endless iterations Of the thesis, that the
British are fighting for us, and, wearying
Of the conflict in which an American
expeditionary force might not be en-
gagged, compel their government to con-
clude peace with Germany.
In our dispute with the French, Con-
gress defined our acts Of violence, which
were not intended to constitute public
war, as defense of the commerce and
coasts Of the United States, and during
that uuaSi-conf1ict our Government
never deviated from neutral attitude
in respect of the enemies of France.
Congress now, with view to the fu-
ture Judgment of nations and for the en-
liehtenment of historians, might adopt
resolution proclaiming the sanction OF
international law for our defense of the
complete community of nations and OF
civilization, which are assailed by an un-
lawful military organization whose pur-
pose Is to force the earth to submit to