Evening star., 1936-02-14
NEUTRALITY BILL
GIVEN APPROVAL
House Foreign Affairs Com
mittee Favors Measure to
Extend Present Law.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The House Foreign Affairs Commit
tee unanimously approved today a bill
to extend the present neutrality law
until May /, 1887, with additional pro-
visions for restricting loans and credits
to belligerents and exempting Latin
American nations at war with nom
American countries.
Virtually identical to a measure all
ready reported out Of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee, the meas
ure is expected to be called up in the
House Monday under suspension of the
rules. 1t is also expected to be called
up in the Senate Monday.
That procedure will prevent amend
ments, limit debate to 40 minutes and
require a two-thirds vote on passage.
Would Advance Date.
The bill would advance to May !,
1887, the present February % expira-
ton date of the section Of the existing
neutrality law which directs the Presi-
dent to place embargoes on shipments
Of war implements TO belligerent
nations.
Loans and credits to warning nations
would be held down TO Short-term COM
mercial amounts sufficient for normal
peacetime trade.
The agreement to make the proposed
law inapplicable to American republics
fighting non American powers was in
recognition of principles of the Monroe
doctrine.
Frown on Trade Clause.
As the new measure advanced on
Capitol Hill, the Roosevelt adninistra-
ton was authoritatively reported TO be
still frowning on trade with belliger-
ents despite its apparent failure TO
have such a policy written into law
at this session of Congress.
This policy. followed since shortly
after the outbreak Of hoStilities be-
tween Italy and Ethiopia, embraces
two phases apart from the prohibi-
tions imposed by the present tenn
porary neutrality law. They are:
/. Government moral and flnan-
cial pressure against abnormal" ex-
ports of key materials such as cop
per, oil, iron. steel and others con-
sidered essential war supplies;
2. Warnings that Americans trad
ing with either nation do so at their
own risk.
Inquiring exporters ere being told
by officials that no change in these
principles has taken place, regard
less of the Administrators setback
in its efforts to have them incor-
porated in a permanent neutrality
statute
Will Press Effort.
Responsible quarters said the Gov
ernment's efforts to obtain voluntary
observance of the policy is not likely
to diminish in spite of the fact results
thus far have not been satisfactory to
Secretary Hull.
The pressure" has taken the forms
Of statements by President Roosevelt
and Hull that abnormal shipments OF
war materials to warning nations are
contrary to administration policy.
There also have been Shipping Board
threats to withhold financial assist
ance to non-complying ship owners.
Informed sources predict the admin
istration will revive its drive for far
reaching law at the first opportunity.
This is not expected to come before the
next session of Congress.
Thirteen Senators summoned BY
Chairman Nye of the Munitions Com
mittee conferred yesterday on the ex-
tended program they will back next
week during action on the measure re-
ported by the Foreign Relations Com
mittee. Nye said he could count on
the support of two others.