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Show NA TIONAL ATIIOAL TIONALAFFAIRS NATIONALAFFAIRS ATIIOALAFFFABS AFFAIRSRnl AFFFABSReviewed AFFAIRS AFFFABS A h . Rnl Revlvwtd Reviewed w J byCARTER by byCARTER hCARTER CARTER FIELDCurious FIELD FIELDCurious Curious Cunow position poltwn ! in whichthe which whichthe the , he United CJmled Untied CJ mled States State ! now findsitself finch finds findsitself 111with itselfwith itself " 111 ' ( ' withre withrespect with re respect pect to W the theF theuropean thet f furOIHan ' nrof urOIHan uropean ! > ean weir war Swing SWl.ng SWlng . to tol'rcslent's toPresident's toPresidents "r r l'rcslent's lrcslents " ' ( , ( 1Iclent < ( ' ' j neutrality n'utraltty nutraltty neutralitystand ( ' standstrict stand standinrp 'iUl iUl strict < ' inrp ( , ( > ) war uvfr P broke Proko roko ou ouatwlwtzallOn out1V out outrationalization & . 1V ! \ rationalization \atwlw/tzallOn atwlw tzallOn atwrsaltzatton 1Vatwrsaltzatton / of 01 01electnc felectric o f electricifK/Msrry electricifK Msrry electnc electric electrictnlustry L tnlustry wi wiu ( / u 'I I ' ' ry ltug ) In ( mg ( fig consideredI'ol considered conndered consideredPolitnal I'ol Iol PO/lIll PO lIll I'ololiti Politnal ' oliti / ( ii 01 ! significance 51gmficance oj of oftfu ofthi ill tfu ( Miwissipfn ltIH'IISSLfJl ltIHIISSLfJl Altcctsstpln ' " gubcrnalo gubernato gubernatorral f ubernatorial rlal rral primaryWASHINGTON primary pnmary primaryWASHINGTON WA WASHINGTONThere WASHINGTON < , HIN.TON HINTON HIN.TONThere ( . -There There - There may have havebeen haybeen hav hay havbeen < ' been m re rp curious positions In 10 which whichallt'gedly whlc whlcallegedly whiciallegedly allt'gedly alltgedly allegedly ' neutral nf'utra nfutra ' ) nations have fountthemselves found foundtht'mselves four ' [ tht'mselves thtmselves themselves ' than the United States Stale States110W Stalenow Statenow ! ' 110W now o occupies cuples with respect to the thepresent thpresent th thpresent ' present war In Europe but the most moststudioUS mos mosstudious moststudious studioUS of diplomats are unable tcremember to toremember t tremember remember an example exampleDiplomats exampleDiplomats Diplomats Dlplomata were a bit surprised at atthe a athe a'the athe ' the fervor of President Pre.ldent Preldent : . Rooseveltfireside Roosevelt s sfiuslde nreaide fiuslde fireside dial chat with the th nation naUon lie lieloll Ha Hafollowed Hefollowed loll followed owed very closely , . they point outthe out outthe outthe the pattern of o ( Gen Oen Hugh S 5 Johnson Johnson John Johnon son on s speech a few day days before belore al alto as asto asto to betrg bebtg being neutralln neutral In fact tact but not neu lieu neutra lieutral neutral tra tral ) In thrught- thrught thought thrughtJ . - . J hn hn.on hnon . 'on on en ' n ' " was as a little blunter Hemade lie liemade lfl lflmade made no bones about the ImposslbU impossibil tmposslbUIty ImposslbUity impossibilIty ity of not being belog against aealnst a nation natior nationwhich natiorwhich nationwhich which uses force lorce Instead of 01 persua persue persua.Ion persuestun persuaslon .Ion Ion stun . which haa has no regard tor lor for Itsword Itsword Ita Its Itaword word and which threattns threatlns threatens the peace peaceof peaceof peaceof of the world w0rld every time It want wants wantsanything wantaanything . anything Roosevelt Roosevtlt . ! was much mild milder milder > nllder er But he also mentioned the useof use useot useof ot of force and admitted that he couldnot could couldnot couldnot not ask the citizens cltiKens of 01 thta thIs country countryas as Woodrow Wllson WIl.on WIlon Wilson . had done in 10 1914 1914to 1914to 1914to to be neutral In thoughtThere thought thoughtThere There was another bit of 01 Roube-velt Roube velt Roo.e- Roo.e Rouae Roo.eveJt . - - veJt velt a . addreca addrep's addreps address ' which was generally generallyapproved generallyapproved generallyapproved approved by the partisans of Britain Britainand Britainand Britainand and Prance France and was fall iaU gall and worm wormwood wormwood wormwood wood to the pro-Nazis pro Nazis pro-Netts Netts pr - Nazis This was bllInsistence hi his hisInsistence . Insistence that there should be noprofiteering no noprofiteering noproflteering profiteering proflteering on an any , . commodltie commodities commoditieswhich commoditieswhich . whIch the men women and chll ebil chlldren ebildren chlldren dren might need in the war stricken strickencountries strickencountries strickencountries strickencountriesAs countries countriesAs A As . mere words these a are re not un an anneutral unneutral unneutral neutral i Put Fut ut when It Is ia realized realizedthat realizedthat realizedthat that Britain and France can buy buyaU buyall buyall aU all of these commodities in the United Unit United United ed States Statu that they tbey want , . allowingtor all allowing allowingfor win8 win8for for certain losses through .ubm ubm subma submarining . submarining . rlnlng rining of 01 the supply IUppJy ships but that It ItIs Itis itIs Is practically Impossible tor for Germa Germs Germany Germsny Germany ny to be co .0 0 so . supplied .uppUed uppUed . the evenhandedJustice evenhanded evenhandedjusUce evenhandedjustice jusUce justice disappearsSu disappears dbappears disappearsSu Su ing inS mg to 10 Preslden President's Presidents " ' . Side SideSince SideSince Suace Since War Broke OutThere Ou Out OutThere ' There Is some lome doubt now on thissame this thissame thissame same point , , whether the embargo embargoprovision embargoprovision embargoprovision provision of the neutrality neutraUty act ap applying applying applying plying to arms ammunition ammunlUon and andImplements andimplements andImplements Implements of 01 war " will wiD be repealed re repealed repealed pealed The President wanted that thatvery thatvery thatvery very much during the last session session.He sessionHe . . . He could have bad had his way if the therepealer therepealer therepealer repealer could have been gotten toa to toa toa a vote vule In the senate It was obviousthat obvloUII obvious obvloUIIthat obviousthat that there were enough opponents 01 of 01repeal ofrepeal ofrepeal repeal to talk tank the change to death deathSo deathSo deathSo So In the desire to reach adjourn adjournment adjournment adjournment ment It was abandoned abandonedAt At the time inside administration administrationofficials administrationofficials administrationofficials officials figured on the basis basla of at their theirknowledge theirknowledge theirknowledge knowledge of the . situation .ltuaUon ltuaUon in Eu Europe Europe Europe rope that the odds tor for ( or war wereabout were wereabout wereabout about three to two However theyalso they theyaillo theyalso aillo also figured that if It the embargo embargocould embargocould embargocould could be repealed the odds would be bereversed bereversed bereversed reversed , . thus becoming three to totwo totwo totwo two against war warThere warThere warThere There is III no DO doubt that there hasbeen has hasbeen hasbeen been a swing awing in sentiment towardthe toward towardthe towardthe the President s side . since .Ince Ince the war warbroke warbroke warbroke broke out . It is just a question QuesUon of ofhow ofhow ofhow how many Incidents * ' it would taketo take taketo taketo to so 110 Inflame the country against the theNazis theNazis theNazis Nazis that the only question would wouldbe wouldhe wouldbe be he when the United States would getInto get getInto getInto I Into the war on the side of Britainand Drltain Britain Drltainand Britainand I and France FranceBut FranceDut FranceDut But Dut it would be a nple matternow matter matternow matternow now to force through the change thePresident the thePresIdent thePresident PresIdent has wanted Tt TI ere are aresa areB ares s sa < ( me senators still stllJ who believe bellE've bellEve ' itwe ItMC It ItH \H H we \ uld be virtually an act c ( if f t W'U WU war warat wirnr ' 81 at il d calculated calculdled to : eet Iet get the U t'd td ted t'dSt tedSt ledSt ! ' St 1t us Its s Into the war but there are arer areI I r t enough < , no ugh of them to make a "tr tr etr > " > < j ng(11 ng11 fig sag figfI sagill f\I f I ill \ ( b ster tE'r-with tE'r tEr with rater-with rater , ; ' - - wllh no date dute tor for the ( n 1I r di d dI dI I g of a 8 lp lpson session s ! < " \son son < \ sion ! agreed uponr0,1 upon upondmvi dmvi COTItl r0,1 r01 , Ll If tl 1 < ( r ratti \atti atti 'all all \ l ' lata ata < ( naluahon naliratton nalirattonof nalisationOf ; Of the Ihf ' 11 I b betnc / , cine etnc Industry Intlu5try IndustryN IndustryNut Nut N NIt t [ l1all7'1lon l1all71lon nalbit naitrat ' on f the electric In Ind Inbtry Ind Instry Ind d iitry btry stry Is or 01 e a of the 1e flrst tlr.t tlrt flrgt . moves movesplmned movesplanned movespi plmned planned inned by New Dl Dialers Dealers alers when and andIf andof andit If of the Un ted tec ted ! States tates becomes inv In v \ . Ived In tru the thl . . var .ar ar . n f1 11 e f a ' only quest quesi ques 1 i I i s c , whfU when whenit wh . , - tr l-r l r it congt congl congr sa ss , . would be beu bev u " . 1 I nK nl ng nKH ngIt { 1t H 1\ 1 It \ i t a the Inner circle clr.lf clrlf . " " Is k n t worry worryK worryg K g al at iii jt at that questi Questl quest ) n There 11lf're 11lfre ' Is IsCi Ist'1 isth Ci t'1 t1 th ' ugl ugi t I In the mil nil , ds 1 < . of the left\ left lefts leftv left ! t'ft tft ' v \ ' - \ . p . , " . s that In the ru h to tu I.e i fc I . \ . ve \.e .e the theal thea 8 al j 1 . sir tr t n II o every po a , r t [ m ght ghth ghtk h k t fry f r v ar dr air purposes c I ' trol Irol unt of oft ofI t I dl .Ii Ii . elpme eif'me eifme eleme ' t l oa as aser t L v.cr vcr \-er er wer \ ' - . v w . . ltdi lidI aidt lid aid I t t itd led itdI ledI 1 < .d d . 1 I U II tt e a last 18t , wnr It was t1 U c I a ' ra I 1 Ir 1r 1r r r , rtrt lid (1 1 ( Hut Ilut U t1 emotive e a motive 850 as 85 \ wr \0 0 we ' ( ' liS as liS1I asti asit 1I ti tie e s 5 d a n fI would be differa ditferer dltTer ( I t Inl In Int t t e e fi 11 "st st .t t ct " . place pldce while aomp some som . f t i thett the theti [ he 11 ti e t l M Mads h < . ads ds of o ( the admin admln mrm strut tnll n nrr nm nrr rr m y have ha\e ha e \ hOI holed ho ' ; ed I > < that the g ven veil venm veilmr verrm m mr . I t w uld uid pcratt- pcratt peratl peratc pcratttbe . - tbe the rd rei ra Ir ad ads adif adsr . f r rer reser res r\ r . \ er IT Ir tr sl ct < I of the driving drlvtng forceinci force forceIncl forceincl Incl ling the thought of PresidentWoodro Presidl'l1t Presidll1t President Presidl'l1tWoodrvo PresidentWoodrow ' Woodrv\o Woodrv o Woodrow \ ' ' * Wllsun Wilson was W8B for retirr retlIT relur ng rag ngthe ragthe ngthe the - ra r-8 r 8 Ir lr ads as loon soon oon as the emer emer- emerlencj emertendy emerenc - lencj tendy < enc/ enc encwas / was over overThis overTbrs This Tbrs Ume Urne time the allegation that takIng tak taklog takng log ng over .over ( . the electric industry indu.try indutry . w.a wa was wasleeesaary w . . snecesaary nece leeesaary .r:1 .r1 r1 . : tor for war purposes purpo.e purpoe . . would wouldbe woulde wouldbe be e , an excuse excu.e excue . . , , not Dot tbe the real reason reason'I'be reasonrise reasonThe 'I'be Ibe rise ' real reason Is b that insiders In the We administration admlnJstration arermly are ! \ flrmly \rmly rmly flrmfy cot cotvinced con convlnced convinced vlnced vinced that government ownershliof ownership ownershipot ownershi ownershiof ot of the electric Industry Industryw w il d JII 1 be bereal ireal a areal real blc blessing slne tor for the pc pe lie i Ie le of ot the thecountry Ut Utcountry thcountry country as a wholeThere whole wholeThere There is another Important dller diffe dllerence diffeence difTelence ! ence In the situation situatlun of the railroads rail railroad rat ratroads road roads . during that terrible winter of i o1917 1917 1918 and that of 01 the electric electricindustry electri electriindustry electrlIndustry industry today In the World war warthe wt wtthe wathe the United States railroads almoscollapsed almost almostcollapsed almoa almoacollapsed collapsed Meanwhile the weatherplus weatherplus weather weatherplus plus trucks tor for whose weight and andpower anpower an anpower < power the roads bad had not nut been cal calculated ca caculated calculated culated had made the highways sor sorry so sory sorry ry substitutes tor for the steel roads roadsThe roadsThe The rush of 01 getting our own troopand troops troopsand trool trooland and . supplies .uppIJes uppIJes to Atlantic seaports seaport seaportsplus seaportsplus ; plus the necessity nf'ceulty nfceulty ' for keeping up upthat u uthat uthat ) that vital flow of supplies to the thehard th thhard thihard hard pressed allies waa was terrinc terrific S Sthe So Sothe Sthe < the gover-nmen gover nmen government - ! tOt tor to < k over the r-all r all rallroads rat ratroads - railroads railroadsGovernment roadsGovernment roads Government Control 1 I < ( It ft ftRailroads ftRailroads Railroads nmlTo ( ls in to ( Had natl fad ShapeBut iihape Shape iihapeBut hape But Dut consider consJder f t r a moment w wl wi } It Itwas a awas i was the chief reason why their thflr ! tak tap takIng taping Ing over by the government was sessential s Ii Iiessential essential It was to get the roadi roads road roadout out from under governmtiit guvernmE.nt guvernmEnt governmtnt . regulaI regulaUonl regulalion regulo regula I tloni Uonl lion ? So 50 long as 8S the roads were ii iiprivate In Irprivate , privae private ! hands any Bny collusion any exchanging ex exchanging exchanging changing of 01 services any Bny agreements Bgree agree Bgreements agreements ments that A would handle this territory ter terrltory terrilory rltory rilory and B that . , while C would wouh wouldhandle wouhhandle wouldhandle handle only through buslnexs business would wouldhave wouldhave wouldhave have been frightful affronts alronts ! to the theInterstate th thinterstate theInterstate Interstate commerce commission Irfact In Infact 11 11fact fact fact . , such practices would not have havt havebeen havtbeen havebeen been tolerated for a moment momentIt It never occurred to anyone of o ocourse olcourse course that this could have beensolved bel-n bel n bell bellsolved - solved by the simple declsl decisi n bycongress by bycongress b ' congress tha that t for tor the period pt'rlod ptrlod ' ( ct I f the theemergency thr thremergency theemergency emergency all restrict reslricti restricli ! ns except as asto at atto asto to rates and safety safely were abf abragated abragatedYet abrgat ( ( gait < d dYet Yet after the war no die ire ( ne deniedthat denied deniec deniedthat deniecthat that the only advantage tr fr < ( m g v vemment vernment vernment emment ernment operate operath operatic n n was this lhls short shortcircuiting shortcircuiting shortcircuiting circuiting of federal regula regulation tlon In Infact It Itfact Infact fact there was a terrific rush to getthe get getthe ge ' the roads back into private handsand h8nds hands h8ndsand handsand and there Is la little doubt that If II thawar the tha thewar thewar war had continued much longer the tha the.tupld thastupid thestupid .tupld tupld stupid . Inefficiency of at Jovernment government Jovernmentoperation governmentoperation [ governmentoperation operation would have more than ol off offset offset ! set the advantages of ot removing gov govemment governmenl govemrnent emment ernmenl regulation reeulation regulationSo So obvious and true was this thisalong thisalong thisalong along about the time the roads werebanded were werehanded werebanded handed banded back to their privete prlvpte private owners own ownersIn ownerain ers-In ers In era-in era - in such bad shape that they theyhave theyhave theyhave have never fully fuJly recoveredthatseveral recovered-that recovered that |
