Evening star., 1935-04-10
NEUTRALITY PLAN
UP At WH|TEHOUSE
President and Hull Will Con.
fer Today on Nations
Future Policy.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
new neutrality plan for the United
States in the event OF a future war
will be discussed by President Roose-
welt and Secretary Hull at a confer
ence arranged for this afternoon.
In his first press interview in several
weeks Mr.. Roosevelt smiled away
questions on the neutrality plan or
upon the attitude OF this Government
to the European situation.
There was an intimation that the
facts speak for themselves so far as
the position of this Government
toward the European crisis is con-
cerned.
Mr.. Roosevelt so far has declined
intervention in the troubles of the Old
World except to restate what he terms
the American policy of being good
nelghbor.
New Bills Studied.
Members of the Senate meanwhile
studied informally bills introduced
Yesterday by Senators Nye. Republi-
can. of North Dakota and Clark.
Democrat. of Missouri. authorizing the
President in wartime to restrict the
issuance of passports to nationals
seeking to enter war zones and clamp
ing restrictions on loans by citizens
of this country to belligerent nations.
A similar bill has been introduced
in the House by Representative
Kloeb. Democrat, of Ohio.
The State Department has had a
neutrality plan under consideration
for some time. No details have been
given.
Plans for the conference were dis
closed on an assertion that the Navy
Department had been content to run
down rumors" of collusiOn among
shipbuilders. instead of getting at the
facts, was made to the Senate NUM-
tions Committee today by Senator
Vandenburg, Republican. of Michigan
Vandenberg said bids of the Bethle-
hem Shipbuilding Corp. on the same
type of cruiser had jumped $500, 900
in six months without adequate" ex-
PLANTATION.
Land Statement Cited.
His assertion grew out of state
ment by Rear Admiral Emory S.
Land. chief of construction. that the
"rumors of collusion were all traced
to one man..
Previously Land had indicated he
meant Laurence r. Wilder, head OF
Gulf Industries, an independent ship
builder.
mo inquiry was made into the phys
ical fact of the bidding itself?" Van
denberg asked.
When the admiral replied the de-
partment had examined the bid forms,
the Michigan Senator added:
1T appears that when the Govern
ment was about to be defrauded and
the reason for it is colluSion, the Navy
Department was satisfied to run down
the source of the rumor and not in
vestigate these prices"
A further attack on statements by
A, P. Homer, Washington marine ar
chitect. was made by Land and by
Rear Admiral Samuel Robinson.
Evidence before the committee indi-
eating Homer had inside information"
on naval building plans was flatly con-
tradicted by both officers. who were
called to give their views on the $685.
600, 900 building program of 1888 and
1884.
Emphasizes Denial.
Speaking emphatically Robinson
said:
Il never discussed shipbuilding with
Mr.. Homer at any time or any place in
my whole life
Homer had been variously repre-
sented as a paint salesman and one
time associate of President Roosevelt
in the lobster business.
Both admirals. sitting together at
Continued on Page S, Column -