Evening star., 1938-12-31
Lifting Of Embargo
On Arms 10 Spain
Hit in Petition
Council of CuthoIic Men
Sponsors Move to Reoch
All Parts of the U.S.

Charging that the Barcelona gov.
Fnment stands responsible for the
vilest kind of oppression and perse.
cution," q committee sponsored by
the National Council of Catholic
Men today began circulating petit
tion against lifting the embargo on
arms shipments to Spain.
A statement issued here said sig
natures were being asked in all parts
OF the United States, and that the
petition would be sent to President
Roosevelt and to members Of Con-
gress sometime in January.
The committee, which the state
ment said included Catholics, Prot
estants and Jews. declared:
Those who have honestly con-
demned the persecution of Jews in
Germany have here an opportunity
to show that at least they are not
IN favor of our Government lending
aid and comfort to the prosecutors
Ct Catholics in Spain"
Prescription of Worship CHARGED.
Whether by deliberate design or
mere sufferance, the committee de-
cclared. "the Barcelona government
has tolerated an almost complete
prescription of public religious wor-
ship throughout the area that it
controls, and has permitted wave
OF british vandalism, torture and
murder. to proceed unhindered."
Organization of the committee
brought to the fore an issue which
Is slated for bitter debate in the
coming session of Congress. Friends
OF the Barcelona Government have
long advocated that the embargo,
which forbids arms shipments to
either side in Spain's civil war, be
lifted. They contend Gen. Frances
forces are able to obtain arms from
Germany and Italy and that the
principal effect of the United States
embargo is to cut of munitions from
the Barcelona regime.
Concurrently, the Peoples Lobby
reported that all but per cent of
its members voting in recent refer
endum favor lifting the embargo.
Bishop Francis j. Mcconnell of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, Lobby
president, said the vote came from
Ill places in 80 States.
Neutrality Act Cited.
The petition drafted by the new
Keep the Spanish Embargo Com
mittee" urges that the embargo be
retained as long as this country ad-
heres Ito the general policy of neu-
trality as enunciated in the act of
August 81. 1885,"
Lewis Kennedy of New York City,
president of the National Council OF
Catholic Men, heads the committee,
and Edward j. Heffron, executive
secretary of the council, is its secre-
tary. Other members, according to
the statement made public here, in
clude:
The Most Rev. Michael j. Curley,
Archbishop of Baltimore; Rt. Rev.
Msgr. Michael j. Ready, general Sec
retary, National Catholic Welfare
Conference; the Right Rev. John A.
Ryan, director Social Action De-
partment, National Catholic We'll
fare Conference; the Right Rev. Full
ton j. Sheen, Catholic University;
Irwin Laughlin, Ambassador to
Spain, 1929-1933; William Franklin
Sands, retired diplomat, Washing
ton; Maurice Bisgyer, Washington;
Miss Agnes Regan, Washington; DR..
Herbert Wright, professor of inter-
national law, Catholic University;
Ogden H. Hammond, Bernardsville,
N. j., United States Ambassador to
Spain, 1926 1929; Ellery Sedgwick,
retired editor Atlantic Monthly, Bos-
ton; the Rev. Francis x Talbot, ST.,
editor of America, New York; AL
fred E. Smith, New York; Victor F.
Ridder, New York; Ward Clarke,
New York: DR.. Lewis M. Mooney,
New York; Martin H. Carmody,
Grand Rapids, Mich, supreme
knight of the Knights of Columbus;
William H. Mccarthy, San Fran
cisco; Benjamin H. Swint, Charles
ton, w. Va; Joseph v. Broderick,
Providence. r. l., and Leonard
Simutis, Chicago, national secre-
tary, American Lithuanian Roman
Catholic Federation.