AMERICAN NEUTRALITY

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20917, 23 September 1939, Page 6

AMERICAN NEUTRALITY

America is fighting desperately to convince itself that it can keep out of the war, just as it fought in the earlier years of the Great War. And behind the struggle there is probably a widespread feeling that isolation from the conflict will become impossible. Whether Congress will adopt President Roosevelt’s plan for the repeal of the arms embargo provisions of the Neutrality Act remains to be seen. Though such repeal is on the face of it an act of complete neutrality, in effect it would be a great assistance to the Allies, and America is fully aware of that fact. Repeal of the embargo would permit the United States to sell goods and war material on a “cash and carry” basis. In other words, the purchaser would pay cash for the goods, assume the title to them and transport them in his own ships. Thus America would avoid risks of embroilment. According to the law, any of the combatants would be free to make purchases, and thus America would appear to favour none. But actually Britain and France have command of the seas, and therefore command of Germany’s trade with the United States. Even if Germany could find the cash to purchase war materials from America her chances of obtaining delivery would be very slender indeed. For those reasons Britain and France have a very strong interest in the fate of Mr Roosevelt’s proposals. America might well be glad of this opportunity to assist the Allied cause, but it is still evident that neutrality and isolation are an obsession with a large section of the people. America as a whole no doubt hopes that the Allies will defeat Germany and thus make democracy safe indefinitely, but the people are not yet willing to face the alternative squarely. What would happen if Germany defeated the Allies •? Viewed in that light is it equitable for America to allow the Allies to bear the whole burden of the defence of democracy ? It is all very well for America to say “This quarrel is not of our making.” Neither would the possible result be, but it would be none the less disastrous for America.