Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-07
Conna||y Emissions
New Commerce for
j. ). Vessels
Rise in Trade With
Other American Nations
Expected by Senator

Senator Tom Connally, Demo-
crat, of Texas discussed Effects
of Embargo Repeal on Foreign
Trade and Shipping last night in
the National Radio Forum, ar
ranged by The Star and broadcast
over Nationwide network of the
National Broadcasting Co. The
text of his address follows.
For six weeks the Congress has
been considering legislation to re-
peal the arms embargo and to re-
strict American shipping and Ameri-
can commerce to nations at war
with the view of preserving the
neutrality of the United States and
to obviate incidents connected with
our foreign shipping which might
have a tendency to involve us in
the war now raging in Europe.
That legislation has been drafted,
considered and passed by the Con-
gress.
1t prohibits the shipment in
American vessels of any arms, mu-.
nitions or implements of war to
any of the nations now at war or
any Of their colonies or possessions.
It permits the purchase by foreign
governments of arms, munitions and
implements of war, as well as all
other articles of general commerce,
by the nations at war or their Cit
liens provided the purchases are
made in the United States and
the title passes to the purchaser
before such supplies leave the
United States. In the case OF pur-
chases by the governments of ma
tions at war, payment for all sup
plies must be made in cash. Ameri-
can ships may carry general COM
merce but not arms, munitions or
implements of war to the colonies
or possessions of foreign govern
ments in the Pacific Ocean and to
ports and countries of South Ameri-
ca, and to ports in the Eastern
Atlantic Ocean south of 30 N. Lati-
tude. This area will include ports
on the African coast and Cape
Town in South Africa. There is no
ltSll lItiUIl VII AlllCl iSdll oIllpo VI
neutral ships carrying general COM
merce from the ports of the United
States to all neutral countries.
Tremendous Sacrifice.
In view of these drastic restric-
tons on the operations of Ameri-
can merchant vessels and the re-
strictions of American commerce,
1t becomes vitality important for us
to consider the effect of the en-
barge repeal act upon the Ameri-
can merchant marine and the gen.
eral business and commerce of the
people of the United States. BY
the enactment of this legislation
the Government of the United
States is making the most ire
mendous sacrifice and the most
colossal restriction upon American
shipping and American commerce
in behalf of the preservation of
peace that was ever made by any
great government in the history
of the world. 1t is evidence of the
desire of the people of the United
States to remain aloof from. the
present war and its willingness to
give up much in treasure and in
wealth rather than to contribute
one drop of American blood in the
terrible war into which we are de-
termined not to be drawn.
The United States documented
vessels of ocean-going size engaged
in the transportation of passengers
and dry cargo in our foreign trade
excepting the Great Lakes num-
Der 1926 of 2,150,00O gross tons.
Forty-four of these vessels of $685.
900 tons are owned by the Govern
ment of the United States. Of this
foreign fleet $50 vessels of 100000
tons are operating under United
States Government subsidy con-
tracts. On October 2, 1899, 297
vessels of 1928, 500 tons were &C
lively engaged in serving the for
eign ocean-borne commerce of the
United States.
The above figures do not include
the American tanker fleet carrying
liquid cargoes. A total of 1865 such
ships of 2,678000 tons are docu-
mented under the laws of the United
States. Tanker vessels do not usu-
ally operate on particular trade
routes as do passenger and dry
cargo vessels and it is therefore
difficult to foresee the effects upon
their operation.
With respect to passenger and
dry cargo vessels, approximately 100