The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-12

to Spain, a move which wa President.
 The background of the story is a growing conviction on the part of the President, Secretary Hull, and several powerful Congress sional, leaders, including Senator Pittman, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Sena- tor Borah, that the embargo on arms to Spain was one of the most tragic mistakes of American foreign policy.
 Its effect has been to deny war weapons to the Spanish govern ment while Franco's Fascists have been equipped with the most mod- ern tanks, airplanes and artillery that Germany and Italy could of- fer. Of late, the Spanish army has been fighting literally with its bare fists, while Spanish gold reserves remain in New York banks, ample to purchase arms were it not for the embargo.
 Roosevelt and Hull both have deplored the situation privately and felt that the United States was merely playing into the hands of Hitler and Mussolini. But url- til recently they did nothing.
 Save Spain
 Then, just before he went to Warm Springs two weeks ago, the President had a talk with Breck- inridge Long, former assistant sec- retary of state, who as ambassador to Italy was thoroughly familiar with Fascist aims. Long pointed out that there were provisions in the Neutrality Act permitting Roosevelt to lift the Spanish en- bargo, and urged that he do so. Roosevelt suggested that Ambassa- dor Long see Hull, and called the Secretary of State personally to arrange the appointment.
 The interview with Hull took place next morning. But when Long arrived at the State Depart ment he was confronted with a letter which Hull had written to Raymond Leslie Buell. of the Foreign Policy Association, out lining reasons why he could not lift the embargo.
 The letter had been released to the press by Hull on the same afternoon that he had received the Presidents telephone call making an appointment regard
 ing the Spanish embargo.
 Naturally Ambassador Long asked for ar explanation.
 "Oh, that was just a letter that Hackworth gave me to sign" replied the Secretary of State, in- ferring that he had not paid much attention to it. Green H. Hack worth is the legal adviser of the State Departmento
 PrO-FrancO
 Ambassador Long then pointed out that the United States was playing into the hands of Eu- ropean Fascists, that after the Loyalists were defeated, Germany planned to move into Czechoslo- vakia, that it was not too late even now to save the Spanish gov- ernment if the United States lifted the embargo.
 Secretary Hull, however, re-
 ferred the matter back to his
 career advisers, and Ambassador
 Long next had lengthy discus sion with Jimmy Dunn, political relations adviser to MT. Hull; Pierrepont Moffatt, chief of the European Division; and Judge
 Walton Moore, counselor of the
 State Department.
 Jimmy Dunn has been one of
 the most ardent State Depart
 ment opponents of the Spanish
 government, and his wife does not hesitate, at social gatherings,
 to express her hope that Franco
 will win.
 With this group, therefore, Am bassador Long got nowhere. So finally he came back to Hull, who suggested that he be given some overwhelming proof that the situation in Spain had changed since Roosevelt declared his en- bargo. If the proof were forth coming. Hull indicated the em- bargo might be raised.
 Spanish Note
 A few days later, the Spanish ambassador, acting on Longs sug- gestion, personally delivered to MT. Hull formed note listing in great detail, with names of ships and dates of arrival, the munitions received by Franco from Germany and Italy. It was a most impressive mass of statistics, and clearly showed that since the time the American embargo wa! clamped down upon Spain, Franco had become nothing more than a vassal of Hitler and Il Duce.
 Day after the delivery of the
 note, Ambassador Long went