Evening star., 1934-05-18
PRESIDENT ASKS
SENATE APPROVAL
OF ARMS CONTROL
Requests Ratification of &C.
neva Convention-Seeks
More Strict Limits.
MESSAGE INDORSES
PROBE OF MUNITIONS
Roosevelt Favors Action as Means
of Hating Armament Race
Besetting World.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt asked the Sem
ate today to ratify the Geneva Arms
and Ammunition Convention in a
move to obtain control of the traffic
in munitions.
THE private and uncontrolled
manufacture of arms and munitions, u
the President said and the traffic
therein have become serious source
of international diScord and strife,
1t is not possible, however. effectively
to control such an evil by the isolated
action of any one country"
The message made no reference to
the British proposal for world en-
barge on arms and munitions ship
ments to the warning nations of
Bolivia and Paraguay, but it was be-
lieved the President sought the treaty
ratification to join in that effort.
Would Tighten Control.
Mr.. Roosevelt also urged that the
World Disarmament Conference re-
convening on May 20 set up authority
"for the supervision and control Of
the traffic in arms much more far
reaching than those which were en-
bodied in the convention of 1925"
which is now before the Senate.
The President further whole
heartedly indosed the Senate investi-
CATION into the manufacture of arms
and munitions proposed by Senator
Nye, Republican, of Indiana.
He promised close cooperation with
the Investigating Committee.
Text of Message.
The text of the President s
message:
II have been gratified to learn that,
pursuant to a resolution of the Sen
ate, a committee has been appointed
to investigate the problems incident
to the private manufacture of arms
and munitions of war and the inter-
national traffic therein. I earnestly
recommend that this committee re-
ceive the generous support of the
Senate in order that it may be en-
abled to pursue the investigation with
which it is charged with degree OF
thoroughness commensurate with the
high Importance of the question at
issue The executive departments of
the Government will be charged to
cooperate with the committee to
the fullest extent in furnishing it
with any information in their pos
session which it may desire to re-
ceive, and their views upon the ade-
quacy or inadequacy of existing legis-
lation and of the treaties to which
the United States is a party for the
regulation and control of the manu-
facture of and traffic in arms.
Source of Strife.
"The private and uncontrolled
manufacture of arms and munitions
and the traffic therein has become a
serious source of international discord
and strife. 1t is not possible, however,
effectively to control such an evil by
the isolated action of any one country.
The enlightened opinion of the world
has long realized that this is a field
in which international action is neces-
sary. The negotiation of the conven-
ton for the supervision of the inter-
national trade in arms and ammuni-
ton and in implements of war, signed
at Geneva June IT. 1925, was an
important step in the right direction.
That convention is still before the
Senate. l hope that the Senate may
find it possible to give its advice and
consent to its ratification. The rati-
f1cation of that convention by this
Government, which has been too long
delayed, would be concrete indica-
tion of the willingness of the Amer
ican people to make their contribu-
ton toward the suppression of abuses
which may have disastrous results for
the entire world if they are permitted
to continue unchecked.
Grave Menace.
ut is my earnest hope that the
representatives of the nations who
will reassemble at Geneva on May 20
will be able to agree upon a conyen-
tion containing provisions for the
supervision and control of the traffic
in arms much more far-reaching than
those which were embodied in the
convention of 1925. Some suitable
international organization must and
will take such action. The peoples
of many countries are being taxed
to the point of poverty and starva-
tion in order to enable governments
to engage in a mad race in arma-
ment which if permitted to continue
may we'll result in war. This grave
menace to the peace of the world
is due in no small measure to the
uncontrolled activities of the manu-
facturers and merchants of engines of
destruction, and it must be met by
the concerted action of the peoples of
all nations.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT,
"The White House,