Evening star., 1934-05-19
ARMS SCURBM0VES
BEGUN At CAPITOL
Roosevelt Requests Speedy
Senate Action on Three
Restrictive Plans.
(Continued From First Page.)

CONTINUED From First Page)
any action which may or may not be
taken by other nations. Chairman
Nye Of the Senate's Special Munitions
Investigating Committee. disclosed
that this group approved q request
yesterday for an additional $35 900
to add to its original $4,000. The
committee has yet to select o counsel
or chief prosecutor. One Of the aims
of its inquiry will be to determine
the advisability Of Government
monopoly Of the arms business.
Urges Aid for Committee.
In his special message, the Presi-
dent recommended that the special
committee be given the generous
support" Of the Senate in order that
its inquiry may be a thorough one.
He asserted the private and un-
controlled manufacture Of arms and
munitions and the trafic therein has
become a serious source Of interna-
tional discord and strife"
The Geneva treaty on which the
Roosevelt message centered was ap-
proved by the Foreign Relations Com
mittee May 1. after Secretary Hull
had urged in a letter of April IL that
approval would be an important
contribution" to the cause of world
peace.
Pittman formally reported the pact
to the Senate after the Presidents 3
message was read. but q reservation
was attached, saying it shall not take
effect as far as the United States is
concerned until the nine other major
arms manufacturing countries rati-
fly it.
Treaty Would Limit Shipments.
These countries are Great Britain,
France, Germany, Japan. Soviet Rus
sia. Italy. Belgium. Sweden and
Czechoslovakia.
The treaty would limit shipments of
weapons Of war and ammunition to
governments themselves through a
system Of permits.
A complete record OF all exports
and imports would be made and sub
ject to full publicity at regular in
tervals.
individuals and rife associations
could obtain supplies only on express
authority Of their governments.
One Republican member of the
Foreign Relations Committee has ex-
pressed opposition to the pact on the
ground that it would prohibit revolu-
tionary groups from obtaining arms
at a time when such a coup might
be warranted. He said he favored
revolutions at times
Text Of Message.
The text Of the Presidents
message:
Il have been gratified to learn that,
pursuant to q resolution Of the Sen
ate, committee has been appointed
to investigate the problems incident
to the private manufacture Of arms
and munitions Of war and the inter-
national traf1c 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 1t Is charged with a 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 1t
with any Information in their pos
session which 1t 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 disco i
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 q field
in which international action is neces-
sary. The negotiation Of the conven-
tion for the supervision Of the inter-
national trade in arms and ammuni-
ton and in implements of war, signed
at Geneva June II. 1925, was an
important step in the right direction
That convention is still before the
Senate. I hope that the Senate may
find 1t 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
lean 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.
1T 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 conven-
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-
ton in order to enable governments
to engage in a mad race in arn1a-
ment which If permitted to continue
may well 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,