The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-10-05
BAN ON ARMS
PMENTS DUE
BY NICHTFALL
Doubt President Can Much
Longer Ignore Fact
War Has Begun.
HELD MORAL GESTURE
u. S. Exports to Both War
ring Nations Have Been
Negligible.
BIZ Uniicd Press

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.-Oflcial
Washington today believed Presi-
dent Roosevelt would recognize off,
cially that state of war exists be-
tween Italy and Ethiopia before
nightfall, and thus would issue a
proclamation imposing an embargo
on the shipment Of arms and am
munition to both belligerents.
officials, scanning dispatches
from the scene Of fighting, we're
doubtful that the President could
Ignore much longer the neutrality
law passed by the last Congress
which requires him to issue such
a proclamation upon the outbreak
OF war between two foreign govern
ments, or during the progress
of such war"
Although the language of the law
might permit indefinite delay in the
application of an arms embargo it
was said, the plain intent of the res
olution was that the President
should act within a reasonable time
after official dispatches had con-
firmed existence Of a state of war
between any two or more countries.
officials here feel that such a con-
dition now exists beyond all reason
able doubt.
Ruling Nav Come TODAY
The Concensus was that a presi-
dental announcement would be
forthcoming late today-possibly
after the League Of Nations Council
has had an opportunity to vote on
the question of applying penalties
against Italy as a covenant vio-
latOr
In some quarters it was believed
possible that the arms embargo
proclamation would not be issued
until Sunday or Monday-af the
League had taken definite action.
Informed quarters appeared to
feel that inaSmuCh as a declaration
of an American embargo would be
largely a moral gesture, nothing in
particular could be gained by wait
ing. Officials here felt that dis
patches from both newspaper CORE
SpOndents and American diplomatic
representatives in the trouble CEN
ters indicated existence of a state of
war
Italian Credit Is Low
The practical effect of laying
down an embargo on arms and mu-
nitions shipments to Italy and
Ethiopia was believed here to be
almost nil. Only a few hundred
dollars worth of war implements
have been shipped to Italy N any
one year since 1928, and none what
ever to Ethiopia.
Italian credit is at low ebb in this
COuntry's private financial martS,
and government credit Isl denied her
under the Johnson Act which for
bids granting of credit to, or the
flotatiOn of loans in this country
by governments which are II default
on their debts to the United States.
Ethiopia has neither credit in this
country nor means Of transporting
supplies if purchases were made
here.
Cotton Not to Be Included
Some apprehension was manifest
in commercial and financial circles
that an embargo might include such
basic commodities as cotton. copper,
brass, steel, wool, sugar and certain
chemicals. Official circles indicated
a belief there was no justification
for such fears. Senator Key Pitt
man ID, New, chairman of the
Foreign Relations Committee, in
answer to questions from the floor
at the time the neutrality act was
being debated, assured his colleagues
that cotton, copper and other basic
commodities would not be affected.
Although the President is given
wide latitude in formulating the list
of articles which may be considered
arms. ammunition and implements
of war" to be embargoed, it is not
generally believed that he is
authorized to include basic or
"borderline' commodities i'll that