Evening star., 1941-09-10

ping or whether ~
to resist such
attacks. David Lawrence.
The right of neutral to carry its
goods to any country in the world
is age-old. The burden of proof
that the cargo is contraband
rests with the belligerent and
at no time has the United
States Government agreed to the
right of belligerent to attack at
sight a merchant ship of a neutral
country.
The fact that American vessels
carry contraband may be a reason
for orderly seizure and diversion of
cargo to belligerent port, but it
does not constitute justification for
the sinking of the vessel and the
jeopardizing of the lives of those
aboard.
Rights Not Surrendered.
Many Americans since the last
war have said the rights of neu-
trails were not worth fighting for.
Many have favored open abandon
ment of those rights. But the
American Government, while warn
ing its citizens to keep off the seas
and even restricting by law the
movements of American vessels
during wartime, has never yielded
its rights under international law
to send its ships anywhere on the
seven seas.
Now Germany again challenges
the freedom of the seas as the doc
trine has been historically support
ed by the American Government.
To yield to the German challenge,
1t is held here in Government cir
cles, is to yield to any other en-
croachment which Germany may
undertake. Thus if the principle is
once accepted that belligerent
can attack q neutral vessel and
jeopardize lives of neutral citizens,
it follows that the neutral govern
ment must submit to any form of
attack which is designed to inter-
fere with the shipment of contra
band. To concede one right is to
abandon another. Germany, for
instance. on the same theory, could
claim the right to lombard Ameri-
can factories because contraband
produced there eventually might
reach Britain. There is no end to
the possible uses of the doctrine
once a neutral comedies that bel
ligerent may wage war anywhere
In the world outside of its own ter
ritory and may destroy neutral
property in the course of its own
operations.
May Mean Shooting.
The original neutrality principle
sought to protect neutrals and to
limit and restrict the area of oper-
ations of the belligerent. Today the
Nazis have stretched belligerent
rights across oceans and even into
the heart of neutral countries
through fifth columnists and agents
who carry on sabotage operations.
President Roosevelt has indicated
all along that the United State.
would insist on freedom of thu
seas. He Is ready now to presen
the Nation and the world with tn.
record of Nazi attacks on neutra
shipping. He is ready also to pro-
claim that Nazi submarines anc
airplanes will be resisted to thu
utmost.
Does this mean war? 1t may NEAR
shooting, but it does not necessarily
mean a declaration of war. Fol
the President of the United States
under the Constitution, has the
power to ''repel attack" and he doe
not have to wait for specific au
thority from the Congress to ordeI
the Navy into action to protect tn,
American flag on the high seas.
The Nazis may say that the Wash.
ington Government is seeking a pre-
text to enter the war and that tn,
President has been awaiting ar
incident" The fact is the Unitec
States Government sees the recort
as full of incidents" beginning will
the sinking of the Robin Moor b,
a Nazi submarine in the Soutl
Atlantic up to the destruction of tn
cargo ship Steel Seafarer by a Naz
airplane in the Red Sea a few day
ago. Here are two areas of oceal
far removed from belligerent terri
tory and yet the Nan government
asserts the right by physical fore
to interfere with American ship
moving in the normal routes 0
commerce.
Surprise for Hitler.
Such a challenge to America
rights brought on the last war. MI
Roosevelt is ready to ask Congress
for a declaration of state Of wa
II need be to protect Americ
against attack or invasion. He !