Evening star., 1938-05-13
(Tert OF Hull Letter on Page A-3.)

BY the Associated Press.
The Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee responded promptly to Secre-
tary of State Hulls expressd opposi-
tion today by shelving, on a l7-to-l
vote. the Nye resolution to lift the en-
barge on arms shipments to Spain.
Secretary Hull wrote the committee
that any proposal which contemplates
a reversal of our policy of strict non-
interference would offer a
real possibility of complications.
Chairman Pittman of the Foreign
Relations Committee said the commit
tee move meant that action on the
Nye resolution had been postponed
s1ndefinitely.' This usually is tanta-
mount to killing a resolution.
1t was not Immediately disclosed
which member of the Foreign Rela-
tions group had voted against delaying
action
Senator Pittman said he thought It
was fair assumption that the lam
guaee of Secretary Hulls communica-
ton indicated that the State Depart
ment is considering possible later re-
vision of the neutrality act.
Senator Pittman said he had ar
ranged to permit Senator Nye. Re-
publican. of North Dakota, who now is
out of the city. to appear before the
committee next week to make any
statement he wishes on behalf of the
resolution.
Reconsideration Unlikely,
The chairman asserted. however. 1t
was highly unlikely that the COM
mlttee would reconsider its action.
Secretary Hull told the Senate COM
mlttee in his communication that
from the standpoint of the best
interests of the United States in the
circumstances which now prevail.
would not feel justified in recommend
ing affirmative action on the resolu-
ton under consideration"
Reconsideration of the present neu-
trallty legislation, Secretary Hull said,
should be delayed until effects of the
law can be viewed in its broader
aspects, rather than to reWrite il
piecemeal in relation to a particular
situation"
1T is evident" Mr. Hull wrote the
committee, that there is not sufficient
time to give study of such questions
IN the closing days of this Congress"
The Nye resolution would have
called for repeal of the congressional
act placing an embargo on arms
shipments to Spain. as we'll as modifi-
cation of the neutrality law to permit
the President to revoke the embargo
he proclaimed under it.
Terms Of Nye Plan.
Mr. Hull pointed out in his COM
munication that the Nye resolution
would lift the embargo in respect
to shipments to only one of the
parties of the Spanish civil war.
Senator Nye said previously that it
was designed to permit shipments of
arms to the Barcelona government,
but that the embargo would remain
in force against such shipments to
the insurgents.
The shipments would be permitted
on cash and carry" basis, with
the purchasers paying for the arms
in this country and then transporting
them in foreign ships.
Even if the legislation applied
to both parties" Secretary Hull said
in his communication, Its enactment
would still subject us to unnecessary
risks We so far have avoided.
I'VE do not know what lies ahead in
the Spanish situation. The original
danger still exists"
Mr.. Hull emphasized that any
changes that might be made in the
neutrality law should be based on
further efforts to keep this country
out of what he termed "a dangerous
European situation"
Our first solicitude should be peace
and the welfare of this country" ne
said, land the real test of the advisa-
bility of making any changes in The
statutes now in effect would be
whether such changes would further
tend to keep us from becoming in
.volved directly or indirectly in a dam
gerous European situation"