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Show Just Yankee Common Seme PROPOSAL has been made in the senate that the neutrality law be amended to permit American ships to carry on normal trade with British and French possessions in the Pacific and Indian oceans and in the China sea. It is contended that such trade can be carried car-ried on without risking interference by any belligerent, and therefore without any possibility possi-bility of involving this nation in the conflict through loss of our ships and cargo, or death of our citizens. That seems a sound proposal. There is no reason why the "cash and carry" plan for commerce with warring nations should be all. If the Pacific and Indian oceans are clear of belligerent activities, there can be no danger dan-ger to American ships and if there is no danger dan-ger there is no reason for the "cash and carry" principle. Whatever plan of neutrality the American nation adopts In this war it should be thoroughly thor-oughly practical. Our first and foremost aim is to keep out of war. That means we must minimize In every practical way the risk of involvement. But it doesn't mean that we have to foolishly cripple our vital American merchant marine by extending a purely practical prac-tical neutrality policy all over the world. Let's not kid ourselves. Neither pacifists, nor Isolationists, nor idealists are going to keep us out of war. The only thing that will do it is ' practical, hard-headed Yankee common aense. If we let that guide us, we'll keep our citizens, our ships and our money out of danger and meanwhile go after all the business we can get in peaceful areas of the globe. |