Evening star., 1939-07-15
Neutrality
Continued From First Page

many Senators to regard the Presi-
dents special message of yesterday
transmitting the views of the Sec
retary of State, as a move to keep
the record straight"
About so Senators. some of them
taking notes. listened as the Senate
clerk read the Hull statement, as
serting that "the people of the
United States and their Govern
ment must not fail to make their
just and legitimate contribution to
the preservation of peace"
Hull Argues.
Outlining the points on which
he said those representing opposite
viewpoints could agree, Secretary
Hull contended that those who ar
gued for continuance of the ban on
the sale of arms to warning nations
were urging not neutrality but
what will result in actual unneu-
trality.'
He said it was not humanity pos
sible, by enacting an arms embargo
to hold the scales even between two
belligerents, adding that with such
an embargo on the books the re-
sponsibility for creation of an un-
balanced condition would rest with
this country
Those who urge the retention of
the present embargo continue to
advance the view that it will keep
this country out of war-thereby
misleading the American people to
rely upon false and illogical delu-
sion as means of keeping out of
war" Mr.. Hull declared.
He expressed the opinion the arms
embargo provision plays into the
hands OF those nations which have
taken the lead in building up their
fighting power
Hurts the Peace-Loving.
"1t works directly against the
peace-loving nations, especially
those which do not possess their
own munitions plants" the Secre-
tary continued. ''It means that if
any country is disposed toward con-
quest, and devotes its energy and
resources to establish itself as a
superior fighting power, that coun-
try may be more tempted to try the
fortunes of war if it knows that its
less well prepared opponents would
be shut off from those supplies
which, under every rule of inter-
national law, they should be able
to buy in all neutral countries. in
Guiding the United States. -.
For these reasons, those who are
supporting the recommendations for
the amendment of existing legisla-
ton recognize definitely that the
present embargo encourages a gen.
eral state of war both in Europe
and Asia"
Observing that he could see
nothing new" in Secretary Hulls
arguments, Senator Borah told re-
porters he felt Mr. Hull was mistaken
on several points.
We can't escape the fact" he
said, that whatever we think about
1t, the world situation makes the
sale OF arms a special advantage
to certain nations and a disadvan-
tage to others and will inevitably
pull us into another European con-
flict."
Pittman Backs Hull.
On the other hand, Chairman
Pittman Of the Senate Foreign Re-
lat1ons Committee said he thought
Mr. Hull had presented "unanswer-
able arguments" that would be likely
to leave lasting impression on the
American people in the months to
come.
Asserting that when the present
neutrality law first was adopted,
the administration had favored an
arms embargo, Senator LaFollette,
Progressive of Wisconsin, contended
1t had switched its viewpoint.
Neither can the administration
ignore the contribution that the
sale Of munitions made to involving
us In the last war;" he declared. II
see no reason why the committee or
Congress should change its position,
and am Of the opinion that there
will be no action this session.
Hull answers himself" remarked
Senator Clark. Democrat. Of Mis-