Evening star., 1933-01-18
Proposed Embargo ON Arms
Debated National Policy

Several considerations affecting le
adoption of policy of placing as
under an embargo in foreign trade. a
means of discouraging war, are y
sented in the debate that has develm
The Geneva Arms Convention of 1915
before the nations for ratification, d
President Hoover. in message to G.
gress, has asked for action by this &C.
try. One obstacle that is suggestes
the change of administration, but e
theory of such an embargo is uph.
IF America would lead in sucfn
embargo" says the Portland Orn
Journal, similar action could be hid
for in other nations" That paper
CUES that with their supply of ann
milton cut off, governments would n
be forced to cease fighting" and It
such course would starve war :
stead of starving innocent peoples" e
Portland paper also comments as toe
course of proceedings in this natid
effort: THAT such action shoulde
taken by the American Congress S
long been the opinion of Secret
Stimson. Nobody can give good L
son why our Chief Executive should t
be empowered to declare an embargo
arms shipments. Since 1922 the Pr
dent has had authority to stop ST.
ments to countries involved in mten
strife. Now-since all war Is civil y
for nations are so utterly dependentl
one another that war is suicidal fori
concerned-why not extend his
thority? 1t would give America a por
for peace that would be almost. inc
mable. 1t would be of greatest inn
diate value in the dispute between :
livia ano Paraguay, where, while u
the League of Nations and the Urd
States are trying to bring peace, 3D.
pean and American armament msl-
facturers are fattening over the fcsn
quarrels of these unhappy people"
"The League of Nations, . it is pced
out by the New Orleans Times -Picafle,.
has tried to gather information rFd-
ing the extent of this trade, but ing
ures are admittedly incorrect" TO
the available statistics on the BJect,
that paper states: The Leaguecdpll-
alton for the year 1880, publife last
Fall, showed Great Britain 4dig In
the volume of this business enacted
by its nationals, with Fra4 econd
and the United States third I'M only
notation with respect to its ptlti dealt
with single munitions plaL tnf great
Skoda works, which was II 70 nave
paid dividends of 28i2 pefnt curing
the year 1890" The Tijs-Plcayune
also offers the comment the Sltua-
ton: There is no officif&planaIlon
of the reluctance to ratift nough Sec
retary Stimson suggests pnay pe que
to the quiet but activdppositlon Oh
munitions manufacturs througIlout
the world Our own Sep eoncelVaoly
is waiting affirmative aqh by the gov
ernments of other coures whose ma
tionals profit from thtrade. reason
ing, perhaps, that Anfcan manutac.
turers should not be rected or barred
from participation in tntu the others
are"
THE next administ rbn should push
the proposal revivedk Mr.. Hoover,
advises the Chicago ny News, recog-
nizing that some Stors profess 10
believe that only tlfmall and rela,
lively poor or backN nations Woulo
be deprived of arms ID munltlons un,
der the Hoover afpatiVe proposal
and that the greatRwers would pos
sess monopoly the war-maklng
The ID News hoios tnas
''the objection Is kcious, but appar-
emily 1t will be md to serve, az least
for the present" 70 the merits OF
the plan. that ter remarks: MI.
Hoover recommd nothing radieai.
The liberals androgresslVes OF the
world have apprn the pending m
ternational convdbn for the suppress
sion of internati3 trade in arms and
Manydeed, have charged
the United Sta3with glaring. incon-
sistency-not toE hypocrisy-because
Of its failure tdtify that convention
while extollingke Kellogg anti-war
pact, and favdg non-recognition Of
territorial gainSocured by aggression.
Mn. HooSkr adthat. pending action