Evening star., 1939-09-08
Neutrality
Continued From First Page

TO any nation in default on it's war
debt.
Only Copy "Vanishes."
Congressional sources described
the President as wanting to be sure
he has the votes to approve his
neutrality recommendatio tons before
calling the Senate and House into
session
There was much good d-humored
confusion at the outset of the press
conference when the President could
not find copy of his proclamation.
Attorney General Murphy. who had
just left the Executive Offices, was
sent for. but he could not produce
one either 1t developed& that the
only copy available had been sent to
the State Department.
The proclamation began by say
ing there was a national emergency
in connection with the observance
and safeguarding of our neutrality
and the strengthening of the ma
tional defense within the limits of
peace-time operation.
Explaining these words. the Presl-
dent said no new emergency agen-
cies would be set up. but that the
Government would function In a
normal peace-time way through the
regular departmental methods.
AS for the Army, the President
said the increase in personnel would
place the strength little bit above
this years authorized appropria-
tons
Noting that the fleet was only IS
per cent named for peace time. the
Chief Executive asserted that it was
intended to fill In the Is per cent
and provide men for all batteries
and watches.
He said about one-third of the
ll6 World War-type destroyers now
out of commission would be recon-
missioned for patrol purposes.
Anti-Propaganda Order.
The increase in the Marine Corps
personnel would be small, he said.
and not bring that arm up to full
peace strength.
The President said the anti-pro-
paganda and sabotage order was de-
signed to protect the Government
against some of the things which
he said were still recalled by the
public as having occurred in the
Wcrld War days.
In this connection he asserted
that certain unnamed foreign gov
ernments had plans to try to sway
American public opinion.
Asked regarding increased appro-
priations, the President said he
thought they would be unnecessary
at this time. Theorizing. he said,
If the Army was increased by one
twelfth on a full years basis more
money would be needed to feed,
clothe and pay the added person.
mel and that this would mean the
current appropriation would las.
only until June l next. which would
make necessary deficiency appro-
priation.
Congressional sources said the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
and then the Senate would be
polled by telephone and telegraph on
the question of whether members
would support administration sug-
gestions for revamping the neutral
ity policy.
Cash and Garry Favored.
con,4o oo+;on 1uoc h1ooLoJ fLic
summer when the Foreign Relations
Committee voted, IL to II, to delay
action until next session.
Well-advised persons said Mr.
Roosevelt and Secretary Of State
Hull have not decided whether to
ask Congress:
l. To authorize the sale of all
goods to belligerents, including arms
and implements of war, on cash
and-carry' basis, or
2. To repeal the entire Neutrality
Act and return to international law
The existing neutrality law pro-
hibits the sale of arms to warning
nations and restricts American
travel and credits.
Congressional insiders were re-
ported to have advised the President
it would be much easier to obtain
some form of "cash-and carry"
legislation than to abandon entirely
the theory Of statutory neutrality
Under this system. warning nations
would have to pay cash for Ameri-