AN AMERICAN PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 56, 8 March 1915, Page 3

AN AMERICAN PROTEST

NEUTRALITY AN AID TO THE ALLIES THEIR GAINS BY CONTRABAND TRADE. An American visitor to New Zealand, Mr. Carl C. M'Cann, drops a word of protest against a view commonly adopted by the man in the street towards the attitude of the United States. The man in the street often asks: "Why does not the United States join in fighting the despoilers of Belgium?" Mr. M'Cann, in re]ply, asks how the United States could give the Allies greater aid than is already being given. Ever since the ■ war began American firms have been supplying Britain and her Allies with arms ana ammunition and warlike equipment of all sorts — guns, rifles, shoes, motors, saddles, etc. Mr. M'Cann states that the value of these exports to Ist December was no less than eight hundred million dollars. If the United States went to war, either with Germany or with anyone else, export of those supplies would be stopped, as the Washington Government would need them for its own warlike purposes. It is far more advantageous to the Allies that American firms should supply warlike necessaries to forces in the war theatre than to new army formations on the other side of the Atlantic. "A Unied States Army," says Mr. M'Cann, "could not be nsed against your enemy, for if U.S.A. does not admit of an army ' being gent , into North or South America, does it seem probable that the Allies would establish a precedent by allowing an outside nation into Europe It never has happened. Has Japan sent a man or even a gun or a cartridge to the European seat of trouble? If U.S.A. became a belligerent, we would have to stop the shipments of the shoes which shod Kitchener's Army and the ammunition which feeds Tommy's gun. And the belligerency of the United States, as a substitute therefor would not be, to tihe Allies, of the same value. " A great deal of talk is heard of contraband and conditional contraband going from the United States to Germany via neutral countries. The amount of this trade has been exaggerated. But even if its volume were as great as is claimed, it could not bear comparison with the amount of absolute contraband poured from the United States into Britain. Assuming for argument's sake the existence of a contraband trade via neutrals to Germany, it is not one twentieth of the trade" to Britain. The plain fact, then, is that the Allies gain immensely on the deal. It is also a fact that United States sympathy is overwhelmingly with' the Allies." That sympathy, he continued, was quite consistent with a neutrality which, as he had showed, worked out so tremendously to the advantage of the Allies. In fact, the United States could not consistently be otherwise than neutral in this conflict. The United States took responsibility for affairs in the Americas, but not in the Old World. Though it might be foster father to weak South American States, the Washington Government could not act in similar capacity towards Belgium. It had always avoided European complications. In support of this latter point Mr. M'Cann continued : " Often I am told ' U.S.A. is a party to the Hague treaty. Therein the people of U.S.A. pledged themselves to protect Belgium. Why don't they?' Anyone who, will take the trouble to look the matter up wilj find that U.S.A. signed the Hague treaty, J buf>' that 'above this signature it is 'stated that the U.S.A. Government is a party only in such things as have to do with matters outside and exclusive of Europe." Mr. M'Cann contends that diplomatically the Washington Government has not hamepered the Allies. There are people who say that "those who, are not with us are against us." But that, in international affairs, is nonsense. The Germans have a shrewd idea as to who are their friends, and their press criticism of the United States speaks volumes. Mr. M'Cann thinks that the man in the street should 3ook the facts in the face and revise his views concerning the policy of the United States and the true interests of the Allies.