Evening star., 1940-01-16
American Republics
Confer on Enforcinu
Neutrality Zone
Safety Belt Ineffective,
Britain Says, Rejecting
Protest on Violation
By the Associated Press.

ssVtSSA VII VIVlOtuOu
By the Associated Press.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 49,
Faced with Great Britain's rejec-
ton Of the 300-mile American safety
zone, an Inter-American Neutrality
Committee today sought concrete
means of enforcing the keep OUT
sign for all belligerents.
Despite Britain's note describing
the zone as ineffective" Prof
Charles Fenwick, United States rep
resentative on the committee repre-
senting 81 republics, said in an in
terview:
"We have privileges which both
sides want which we could deny if
they (the belligerents) adopt a re-
fractory attitude. We believe
through history the belligerents had
their way too long in extending the
war to every quarter of the globe"
Four Courses Proposed.
The committee, consisting of seven
experts named by the Pan-American
Union Governing Board, had for
consideration in it's closed session
today the following proposals to en-
force the zone:
l. An agreement of the republics
to prevent belligerent warships from
obtaining supplies or making ship
repairs in pan-American ports after
they have committed acts of war
inside the zone.
2. An agreement to prevent mer-
chant ships from taking supplies
from pan-American ports to bellig-
erent ships inside the zone.
3. An accord to ban submarines
from entering pan-American har-
bors.
4. coordination of interpreta-
tions of international law relating
to neutrality into a American
neutrality code.
DR.. Fenwick, professor of inter-
national law at Bryn Mawr Col
lege, said he did not propose that
American republics fight for the
right to be neutral" but declared
that belligerents could be kept out
If the republics united on means
OF enforcing the zone.
Delegates Hear Vargas.
In line with this, President Getu-
lio Vargas Of Brazil told the opening
session yesterday that the Americas
expected belligerents to respect"
the zone established at Panama
last October by the Inter- american
Conference.
Picturing international law as
changing in the light of modern
developments, President Vargas de-
clared, I'VE have the right to fix
zone of security in order to pre-
vent surprises capable of en-
dangering free communication and
the indispensable exchange of mer-
chandise."
DR.. Oswaldo Aranha, Brazilian
foreign minister, said the committee
would proceed on the keynote that
If European nations have the right
to establish a war zone. then Ameri-
can nations have the right to estab-
lish a peace zone and American ma
tions have as much right as Eu-
ropean nations to insist upon re-
spect."
In a note to the President of
Panama as representative of the
81 republics, Great Britain rejected
the Americas neutrality zone as
ineffective" reserved her belligerent
rights In the area and warned that
friction would result if attempts are
made to penalize British warships
for exercise Of their rights.
Risk of Friction Cited.
"The risk of such friction, which
his majesty's government would be
the first to deplore. would be in
creased by the application of sane
tions," Great Britain pointed out.
Friction between the French-Brit-
ish allies pursuing their legitimate
belligerent activities" and the
American republics, the note said,
might we'll result unless the follow
Ing drastic conditions were "ade-
quately safeguarded":
I. The proposal involves aban-
donment by belligerents of their
rights and cannot be imposed by
"unilateral action"
2. Britain must be assured the
Zone would not provide German war;
ships and supply ships with vast
sanctuary from which they could
emerge for attacks or to which they
might flee for safety.
Ban on Trade Needed.
3. Britain must be certain the
zone would not permit German
merchant ships to participate in in
ter-American trade, affording the
Reich a profitable foreign exchange
fund with which to purchase war
supplies abroad.
4. Britain must be certain the
zone would not be used to deprive
the allies of their fruits of superb
ority at sea.
5. II Britain foregoes the oppor-
tunity of capturing the large num-
ber of German merchantmen ref
uged in American harbors, 1t will be
A1CNCoodly 4Ol JllC llC11CdllS Ill
tern the ships for the duration OF
the war.
Unless such conditions are worked
out, the British note observed, there
would be an accumulation of bel
igerent ships" in the zone and this
in turn would bring the risk OF
war" nearer the American States.
Sympathy for Objectives.
Citing actions of the German
pocket .battleship Admiral Graf
Spec, the British concluded no way
had been found to eliminate the
disadvantages" of the zone.
Expressing sympathy with the OBJ
Jective of the Americas to prevent
belligerent acts near their shores
Britain denied her navy had in any
way imperiled the American Con-
tinent, but rather had contributed
to its security.
The note was in reply to protest
ApnfnSt vi01atipr, of tho zopo 10