Evening star., 1939-04-01

Span, IT TetT1meG from eIeTttng
direct influence In that cOun-
try's civil uar through propiston
OF Neutrality Act hastily ap-
proved by Congress in January.
1887. and extending arms en-
bargo restrictions to ctvil strife.
With fau of Madrid this week.
Spanish Republican government
ended: embassy here closed yes
terddy.
BY the Associated Press.
Secretary of State Hull announced
today the United States had recog-
nized the Franco government of
Spain. The Secretary said he called
the Burgos government foreign min
lister. stating the disposition of this
government to establish diplomatic
relations.
Mr.. Hull told a press conference
this meant formal recognition Of the
new regime.
At the same time the State De-
partment was notified that President
Roosevelt. in Warm Springs, Ga.
had signed a proclamation lifting
the embargo imposed two years ago
on the shipment Of American arms
and war materials to either side in
the recent Spanish conflict.
Authority by Congress.
The action was taken under au-
thority of a Joint resolution of Con.
gress extending the s-embargo
provisions of the Neutrality Act to
the civil war This provides that
when in the judgment Of the
President the conditions described
in this resolution have ceased to
exist, the provisions thereof shall
thereupon cease to exist
The United States followed the
lead of Great Britain and France
in extending formal recognition to
Gen. Frances regime as the legal
as we'll as the actual Spanish gov
ernment.
Secretary Hull told reporters nu-
merous problems remained to be
settled with Spain and would be
arranged as expeditiously as pos
Sible.
In reply to questions, he said these
included a decision on Americas S
Ambassad dor and American property
seized during the conflict which
ragged for more than two and one
half years before Gen. Frances
Nationalist forces defeated the for
mer Loyalist government.
Bowers Now in United States.
Claude Bowers, the present Amer
ican Ambassador to Spain, is now
in the United States. and there have
been recurrent reports he would not
return.
Secretary Hull told an inquirer
the State Department had not been
advised whether the Burgos govern
ment would move to Madrid. Asked
whether the United States had urged
Gen. Franco to show leniency to
political prisoners. he said he would
not go into detailed phases Of
the involved situation-for obvious
reasons.
Mr.. Hull also avoided direct COM
ment on a question whether the de-
cision to recognize Gen. Franco took
cognizance of the presence of Italian
and German troops in Spain.
Quickly following President Roose-
velt's proclamation at Warm
Springs, the State Department for
mally announced that laws and reg
ulations governing exports to Spain
were revoked. effective at once.
Rules on Gifts Revoked.
Another proclamation by Secre-
tary Hull announced revocation of
rules prescribed on May S. 1887,
governing solicitation and receiving
of contributions for use in Spain.
The announcement stated specific
ally, however, that offenses COM
mitted prior to the revocation were
excepted.
The embargo, which the President
had been urged repeatedly by vari-
GUS groups in the United States to
left during the war, was proclaimed
May /, 1887, while the Chief Exec
utive was fishing off Corpus Christi,
Tex.
It was proclaimed because the war
was of such magnitude that export
of arms, ammunition or implements
of war from the United States to
Spain would threaten and endanger
the peace of the United States"
In revoking the embargo the Presi-
dent said in his judgment the state
of civil strife necessitating the ban
had ceased to exist.