Evening star., 1939-05-28

make neutrality proposals.
Tert OF Secretary Hulrs letters on
page A-6.
BY BLAIR BOLLES.
Secretary of State Hull, urging
repeal OF the existing arms embargo
and advocating a wartime restric-
ton of certain neutral rights OF
Americans, presented to Congress
yesterday the administration de-
f1nitive statement of it's views on
revision of the Neutrality Act.
1t was the first time Congress had
heard directly on this matter from
high Government sources since the
beginning of its consideration OF
neutrality legislation many weeks
ago. The proposals were under
stood to have President Roosevelt's
approval.
The program was developed in
Identical letters from Secretary Hull
to Chairman Pittman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee and
Acting Chairman Bloom of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee
who were told the proposals would
make easier our two-fold task of
keeping this country at peace and
avoiding imposition of unnecessary
and abnormal burdens upon our
citizens
Action Likely This Week.
Thn 1nftnrc
long conferences between Mr.. Hull
and members of Congress influential
In shaping foreign policy. The con-
ferenceS came on the heels of in
conclusive Senate and House hear
ings on a series of bills dealing with
neutrality, a problem which lies
across Congress path to adjourn
ment. The Hull letter probably will
bring action from Mr. Blooms COM
mittee this week and from the House
itself a little later
"I believe" the Secretary wrote
"that the most effective legislative
contribution at this time toward
keeping this country out of war, If
war occurs, would be made by en-
acting or re-enacting provisions on
lines as follows:
ITO prohibit American ships, ir-
respective of what they may be
carrying, from entering combat
areas.
ITO restrict travel by American
citizens in combat areas.
ITO provide that the export OF
goods destined for belligerents shall
be preceded by transfer of title to
the foreign purchaser.
TO continue the existing legis-
latlon respecting loans and credits
to nations at war.
TO regulate the solicitation ano
collection in this country of funds
for belligerents
To continue the National MUM.
tions Control Board and the sys.
tenn of arms export and import
licenses"
Favors International Law.
Any neutrality legislation should
conform as closely as possible with
traditional concepts of interna
tional law adhered to by the United
States, Secretary Hull wrote. He
pointed out that the present statu.
tory requirement for a presidential,
embargo on shipments of arms to
belllgerents falls outside the SCOPE
OF traditional international law con.
Siderations.
The Secretary further suggested
that If there is to be an embargo
on arms, "the logical thing to de
would be to make our embargo all.
inclusive" He added that there
was no sound basis for differentiat.
ing between arms and raw material Is
necessary to a country engaged in
war.
"A nation at war" he said "is M
less anxious to keep cotton OF
petroleum, or, indeed, any useful
product, from reaching an enemy
nation than it is to keep guns and
alrplanes from reaching the enemy's
armed forces.
L doubt whether we can helm
ourselves to keep out of war bv an
attempt on our part to distinguish
between categories of exports. Yet a
(See NEITTRAIJTV poon cI