A turning point in United States foreign policy came with the sinking of the Panay. Before that time it Was pursued patiently and consistently but whenever pulled up short by public opinion no effort was made to proceed, or cut loose from its restricting bonds. There was mo real fight over the World Court membership proposal, no real fight to secure a discretionary neutrality act instead of one which insists aggressor and victim must be treated alike. The President at Chicago made his famous reference to the need of putting aggressor states in "quarantine" but made no effort to follow up the idea by vigorously opposing those who criticised it During the Brussels conference the campaign in favour of peace-at-any-price and isolation went on uncheck ed by any official efforts. But with the sinking of the Panay the conviction was born upon the Administration that a strong active vigorous and continuous campaign must be conducted by the responsible officials of the Administration and their supporters in congress to counter-act the propaganda of the well-organized lobbies campaigning against, their Administration's policy.
'Speeches and statements of opponents in Congress were not allowed fo go unanswered. Newspapermen were urged by' government ' officials not to allow polities to enter into their accounts of Foreign policy but to place patriotism above party. The fullest possible publicity was given 1o official negotiations on the grounds that when the pubic knew the facts would support its government. A resolution proposed by Congressman Ludlow to make a referendum necessary before war could be declared was openly opposed by the Administration from the President down. A majority of Congressmen had decided to vote for it feeling that it was a harmless gesture in favour of war, fut in face of Administration fears that the vote would be considered. abroad as a test of public support for the Administrations conduct of For eign Policy many of them changed their minds and the attempt to bring the suggestion to debate wes defeated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.