The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1039. AMERICAN NEUTRALITY.

Evening Star, Issue 23377, 21 September 1939, Page 10

The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1039. AMERICAN NEUTRALITY.

To-day the United States Congress met in special session to consider America’s neutrality legislation. It trill be remembered that earlier in the year President Roosevelt did his best to have the arms embargo provision in the present Neutrality Law repealed. He was defeated by the narrowest of margins. Since then war has broken out, and he has been scrupulous in his observance of the law as it at present stands. Now ho intends to make another effort to overcome the opposition of a few unbending isolationists, and it will indeed be surprising if he does not get his way. The people of tho United States were disillusioned over tho results of tho last w'ar. They have been impatient at the developments in Europe in tho last quarter of a century, and there was naturally enough, a strong feeling against being involved in another conflict. But this time wider issues are involved. It is'obvious that tho very foundations of democracy are threatened by the megalomania of one man and the small band of ruthless Nazis who are in close association with him. Americans already see examples of frightfulness in the sinking of the Athenia, and tho ynerciless ski lighter of women and children in Poland, accompanied by lying messages put over the air from Berlin. It cannot be believed that the conscience of the American people will fail to be aroused by the atrocities that are being committedThere is no suggestion that tho United States contemplates entering the war on the side of the Allies, The evidence so far-points to a policy of ! keeping aloof. Even if this should bo the case, immense help would be given if the Neutrality Law was amended so that arms, munitions, other war material, and aircraft could be transported across tho'Atlantic for the Allies, which would be feasible with Britain’s command of the sea. After Munich President Roosevelt and Mr Cordell Hull spoke in no uncertain terms in condemnation of Nazi aims and ambitions. This roused the German Press to unbridled fury. But before these developments, so early as January, 1938, the editor of the ‘ Frankfurter Zeitung ’ issued a warning in these words: “ However much tho United States may wish to steer clear of an official policy of alliances; we cannot ignore the fact that the parallelism of interests in certain cases may lead, and must lead, to automatic reactions. The interests binding tho United States to the existence of the British Empire are big enough for us to take note that whether the Neutrality Act is maintained or not, if a European war breaks out it is very probable that not only American sympathies, hut active American help will be on Great Britain’s side.” The possibility of tho United States being drawn into the conflict is not ignored by the United States Administration, according to advices from Washington, which say that “ detailed plans for a vast war effort are being prepared.” If- this is so, it is merely a precautionary measure, so that the country should not be caught unprepared, as was the case in the Great War. Supposing that America did join up with the Allies, such a course would not be embarked upon only for the sake of democracy. She has vast interests and duties in the Far East and in the Pacific generally, and in South America. In some of the States there Nazi activity and propaganda have been intense in the last decade. There are millions of Germans in Latin America, *and every effort has been made to secure their attachment to Germany. The United States Administration has done its best to counteract Nazi schemes, and has endeavoured to make the Pan-American ideal acceptable to the Latin American States. It is asserted that more United States capital is invested to-day in the South American countries than in all the rest of the world put together. It may be taken for granted, therefore that Nazi movements in that part of the American Continent will be watched very closely.