Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-18
Dorothy
Thompson
Claims
y. S. Pushed Around
by Neutrality Act

development.
The Neutrality Act was a typ
ical gesture of a Congress dom
mated by weak men who believed
that safety lay in powerlessnes:
and that democracy is threatened
whenever 1t sticks up for il
rights.
When the act was passed there
was no war and most members oi
Congress were living in the com
Portable illusion that none wa:
being planned.
The act came as a godsend tc
Hitler, who was able 10 quote II
as proof that, given a war, the
United States would be disinter'
ested.
Hitler never thought the United
States would be disinterested. He
is much too keen a student oi
naval power, world commerce ano
geo-politics TO have entertained sc
short a view of things. Hitler Is
not an isolationist.
But he did think the Neutrality
Act would give him a powerful
advantage at the outset, and thai
lit would delay and confuse al
action for many months.
THIS IL precisely what II did
l. II took no superior wit or
Hitler's part 10 foresee the re-
suits.
The United States is not a ma
ton of people which in the Ions
run allows itself 10 be pushed
around. and Hitler knew that
too. But the Neutrality Act gave
him the primary advantage.
BY that act the United States
in advance OF any war. relln
pushed it's historic policy OF the
maintenance OF the freedom OF The
seas, and abandoned primary neu
tral rights in respect OF the free
dom Of the seas.
THAT act has confused publi'
Il opinion for the last foul
years For by It's passage tn
people were persuaded TO believ'
that negative position woult
insure safety from war.
Freedom is not saved by power
ilessness. Freedom is inseparabl,
linked with power and the will ant
capacity TO use II.
/ Democracy is not saved b!
weakness and incompetence.
Democracy is saved by power
full popular will.
The moment the oceans OF tn
world become involved in war
that moment the United States
the greatest oceanic power In tn
world, becomes involved.
That has been recognized a
true since the foundation OF thi
nation. from the time OF Georg'
Washington and his chief adviser
Alexander Hamilton. 10 that o
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
AS AN immensely powerful
"A neutral. willing 10 risk wa
but determined 10 bargain will
a gun-bristling navy at our side
we might have prevented the war
or we might have dictated the
sea-war rules.
Instead we told the world
You can count on US 10 d.
nothing"
So here we are today being
pushed around.
Here we are today having 4
decide whether 70 let ourselves b,
pushed right of the seas and bacl
10 our shores with the Atlanti,
turned into a moat, or whether W,
shall go out 10 clear up the At
lantic. driving submarines out o.
its waters and bombers OF ship;
out of its skies.
And, OF course. we shall decid,
to do the latter.
There Is not the slightest cues
ton that we shall decide to d.
the latter. There never has beer
any Westion-not from the very
beginning.
A nation OF 130,000.00o peopl,
does not give up supinely VIVA
five generations Of its ancestors
have maintained-a free Atlantic
and free Pacific. Free. that I.
10 say, for us and for our friends
and exceedingly dangerous for oul
enemies.
We certainly have not main
tanned one OF the worlds mos
powerful navies as coast guard
nor have we maintained Annapolis,
as fashionable school with pretty
sailor suits.
Relsased by The Bell Syndicate. Inc.