The Washington times., 1935-11-23
MONTH SHOWS
SHARP GAIN
IN SALES
May Be Seasonal, Say
Officials, But Trade
Will Be Watched
international News Service

International News Service
Definite indications that the
Government may attempt to clamp
down on cotton shipments to Italy
If such shipments show an abb
normal increase we're forthcoming
from Secretary of State Cordell
Hull today.
Questioned at his press confer
ence as to whether the Govern
ment might include cotton N the
list of essential war materials"
which it did not wish shipped in
abnormal quantities to Italy, Hull
said any question relating to what
constitutes prime, essential, and
immediate war materials in alb
normal quantities will be given at
tention.
Definite Plans Made
In other authoritative quarters,
1t was learned the Government is
definitely prepared to include cot
ton in the list along with oil, cop
per, and scrap iron if cotton ship
ments to Italy show any steady,
abnormal increase.
The question concerning cotton
arose today following disclosure
by the Commerce Department that
cotton was among the American
products in which there had been
a considerable increase in ship
ments to Italy in October. Raw
cotton shipments to Italy in Oc-
tober were valued at $3,423,987
compared with $2,004,293 the
previous month.
The State Department, however,
was inclined to view this differ
ence as due possibly to normal
seasonal increase in cotton ship
mentS abroad, and therefore it
was not considered as warranting
the inclusion of cotton in the
"war material" list at the present
time.
Show Way to League
American officials today felt
the United States has paved the
way for the League of Nations to
impose more drastic economic
sanctions against italy.
The view prevailed that this
Government is still one jump
ahead of the League powers in
the efforts to prevent Italy from
obtaining war supplies with which
to carry on its conquest of Ethi-
opia.
Action by the United States
Shipping Board in bringing direct
pressure to bear on American ship
owners and operators indebted to
the Government to refrain from
transporting to Italy such prod
ucts as oil, copper and scrap iron
was cited as evidence that this
Government once again has acted
while the League of N a II m S
merely talked.
League Claims ScOffed
Word from Geneva that the
League had set December 9 as the
date for commencing an oil, coal,
iron and steel embargo against
italy in order to force" Presi-
dent Roosevelt's hand was re-
ceived with considerable irony
here. The view prevailed that if
there was any question Of hand
forcing, it was this Governments
moves in the interests of its own
neutrality which had forced the
League to back up its words with
actions.
Officials felt the pressure al
ready brought to bear by this
Government in connection with
the shipment of American oil and
other essential war supplies" to
italy left the League with no ex-
cuse to claim it was holding up an
embargo on these products because
of fear American trade would in
terfere with the effectiveness of its
embargo.
The belief prevailed in official
quarters this Government has
given ample evidence it does not
intend to permit American trade
to interfere with League conomic
action against Italy, and thus give
the League any opportunity to ac-
cuse the United States of response
bility for the failure of the Eu-
ropean powers to enforce peace.
Proud of Record
In fact, officials were rather
proud of the fact the United
States has been ahead of the
League in every actual move to
discourage Italy from its cam
paign of conquest in Ethiopia.
It was recalled this Government
was the first to clamp down an
embargo and actually recognize a
state of war between italy and
Ethiopia and that President
Roosevelt withdrew protection
from Americans trading with
italy while the League still was
talking about the possibility Of
economic sanctions.