Evening star., 1935-11-23
Stopping War Trade.

American shipments OF "eSSenClaI war
materials" to the African belligerents,
primarily and almost exclusively Italy,
have attained proportions that are prop
erly impelling the administration to
adopt restrictive measures. AS it's strictly
legal powers are limited by the neu-
trality resolution of Congress, which is
confined to implements of war;" the
Presidents only method of checking
other traffic is moral persuasion.
Mr.. Roosevelt and Secretary Hull have
done their utmost in that direction. They
have issued statement after statement
emphasizing that trade with the belliger-
ents is contrary to the Governments
policy, that American nationals who
engage in it do so at their own risk, and
that it is designed to prolong war. Still
other arguments were advanced to induce
business not to be Iured by temporary
lucrative profits into transactions that
might embroil the United States in in
ternational complications.
AS despite these pleas and admonitions
the trade in question has increased sub
,,tantially, the administration has de-
"ioed 20 aooly new forms o. pressure
- LtG.au i. On THURSDAY Secretary
IyAes, Iii his capacity SIS eeosral Oil
administrator, appealed TO all producers
of oil to refrain from sales to the
belligerents. His request applies prac-
tically only to Italy, whose petroleum
purchases here have risen enormously IN
recent months. Mr.. Ickes declares that
producers should "keep the spirit and
letter" of the neutrality act by refusing
TO sell to Italy, which now largely de-
pends upon American oil for her navy
and for her motorized army units, such
as tanks, trucks and airplaneS.
On Friday the Government reSorted
to yet another step in the field of moral
embargo Through the Shipping Bureau
of the Department of Commerce it sent
letters to all navigation companies owing
money to the United States in which
there is the definitely implied suggestion
that such debtors might run into diff
culties at Washington if their vessels
continue to carry essential war mate
rials" to Italy or Ethiopia. Along with
the shipping hint, there is an intimation
that other Government departments may
be constrained to take a hand in the
moral pressure movement unless war
profiteering comes to an end. Post Office
mail subsidies to ship lines and Recon-
struction Finance Corporation loans to
railroads, banks and industries are men
toned in this connection.
1t is evidently the administrations
purpose to exhaust its possibilities in the
field of suasion to stop species of trade
intercourse which, while legal as far as
any existing statutory barrier is con-
cerned, unquestionably involves perils to
Americas peace and neutrality, which
transcend all other considerations. In
going the limit to avert those dangers
the President can rely on the country's
support. He is not likely to be diverted
from that course by Mussolinis anguished
cry that it aligns the United States with
the "Sanctionist" powers and will bring
down on us the same reprisals Italy is
imposing upon them. AS for American
business, it is plainly on notice from
Washington that unless it ceases and
desiSts from war trade on its own account
1t faces the possibility of congressional
action to accomplish that purpose.