Evening star., 1939-10-12
j. ). Commerce
Blow Seen in
Neutrality Bill
Rigid BeI|ieerent
Bon Opposed by
Chairman BuiIey
By ], A. O'LEARY,


Barring American vessels from
carrying any article to belligerent
will disrupt American commerce
and will destroy much Of the Ameri-
can merchant marine, Chairman
Bailey of the Senate Commerce
Committee declared today in a re-
port urging modification of the rigid
shipping features of the administra-
tion's neutrality bill.
The report was filed in the Senate
as debate continued to center around
the fate Of the arms embargo. with
Senator Bulow, Democrat. Of South
Dakota speaking against repeal
Senators La Toilette, Progressive, of
Wisconsin and Taft, Republican, Of
Ohio were waiting to take the floor
the former to oppose repeal and the
latter to urge it.
The Bailey shipping report was
based on data supplied by the Mari
time Commission and ended with the
suggestion that the bill be amended
to give the President wider dis
cretion in determining the move
ment of American vessels after
neutrality proclamation naming bel
ligerent countries has been issued.
The report did not share the view
of Chairman Pittman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee that
American ships withdrawn from
trade with belligerents would find
new business with South American
countries.
Gives Figures on Vessels.
After giving figures on the number
of vessels affected by the bill, the
Bailey report observed:
Undoubtedly the most far-reach-
ing provision Of the pending bill is
the prohibition against shipping any
article or material in American YES
sells to belligerent country. 1t ap-
pears from the considerations above
discussed that this provision will
disrupt American commerce and will
destroy much Of the American mer-
chant marine.
This prohibition is highly arti-
ficial and arbitrary. 1t prohibits
the transportation of cargo in Amer
lean vessels to belligerent coun-
tries regardless of whether the, cargo
is loaded in the United States or
in some other country: regardless
OF the nature of the cargo. whether
absolute contraband, conditional
contraband or nom n-contraband; re-
gardless Of whether the port of des-
tination and the waters traversed
are in combat zone or not, and
regardless of whether or not the
destination or the waters traversed
are blockaded, patrolled or mined"
Before the report was made pub
lie, support for some modification of
the restrictions on American ship
ping had developed among Sena-
tors on both sides of the arms en-
barge fight. The shipping ques-
ton has no connection with the
arms embargo. but deals with the
question of preventing American
vessels from carrying raw materials
or any commodity to a belligerent
under the title and carry program.
Bulow Hits War Trading.
After declaring he is opposed to
this country dealing in war mate
rials, or selling materials that can
be used only for war to any country
either in time of peace or war. or
on cash-and-carry or any other ba-
sis, Senator Bulow made this fiat
assertion:
II firmly believe that if we say to
England We won't help you,'
France and England will patch up
a peace with Hitler. I firmly believe
that If 1t had not been for France
and England, Poland would not have
been destroyed"
Senator Bulow said that after war
has ended, Hitler and Stain will
have each other to deal with.
mo matter how long the war goes,
somebody will write an armistice,
and no matter. who writes it, it will
settle boundaries in Europe. And
after this war has been settled, there
will be new ideas for boundaries,
(See NEUTRALITY. Page A-3D