Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31
England Hopes
oEase Friction
With NeutraIs
Chamberlain Regrets
Trouble With U. S.,
Luuds Trade Pact

Luuds Trade Pact
JAPAN'S INDUSTRIES FACE huge
losses as self-imposed power fam
Inc" is extended to conserve coal.
Page Az
ALLIES WILL GET fight they
asked for" Hitler warns, stressing
value to Reich of Russian and
Italian pact. Page AS
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 31.-Prime Min
lister Chamberlain assured the
United States and Japan today that
Britain was anxious to avoid fric-
ton or disturbance in her trade
and other relations with them and
with other neutrals in the war
against Germany.
Addressing luncheon of the Ma
tional Defense Committee, the Prime
Minister expressed regret that the
concentration of dollar resources In
America for munitions and other
war supplies had forced curtailment
of purchases of other products there.
Mr.. Chamberlain announced the
destruction yesterday of a German
submarine which attempted to at
tack British convoy and in sum-
mary of Britain's war efforts said
''prodigious results" had been
achieved and the empire had mil
lion and a quarter men under arms.
Best Customer in Past.
OF trade relations with the United
States he said:
I'VE have been in the past the
largest customer of the United
States for their agricultural pro-
duce AS soon as the war began
we were compelled to curtail our
imports of things which were not
essential to use that we may concen-
trate our dollar resources upon the
purchase from the United States
of those enormous masses of NUM-
tions and equipment which it is
necessary for us to have in order
to carry on the struggle.
But let no one suppose that
have taken for any purpose other
than the prosecution of the war;
nor that we are Indifferent to the
losses which neutrals may thereby
sustain"
Lauds Reciprocal Pacts.
Mr.. Chamberlain praised Brit
aims reciprocal trade treaty with
the United States, which he said
pointed the way to better things in
international trade" +,
He asserted that the policy we
have in mind when the time comes
to turn once more from war to
peace" will be restoration of inter-
national trade.
OF the British-Japanese dispute
over the seizure by a British war;
ship of 81 Germans from the Japa-
nese steamer Asama Maru January
90 Mr.. Chamberlain said:
Nothing could more distress us
than that the Japanese government
or the people should feel that we
have exercised our belligerent rights
with any want of courtesy or re-
spect for them"
Japan has formally protested to
Britain over the incident and the
subject now is under diplomatic
discussion in Toxic
No Neutral Threatened.
Giving a detailed picture of the
many phases of Britain's war eff
fort, Mr.. Chamberlain declared:
mot a single non belligerent coun-
try feels itself threatened by this
enormous power"
Mr. Chamberlain asked neutrals
to consider that though the eXer-
else of belligerent rights causes
them inconvenience and loss, I'VE
have never sunk a neutral ship.
And we have never Willingly sacri-
feed single neutral life"
The United States has protested
against delays to its shipping
caused by the British contraband
control system.
Fighting for Small Nations.
ut is becoming clearer every day
from the actions of the Germans
themselves" said Mr.. Chamberlain,
that we are fighting not only for
ourselves, but for every country
that feels itself oppressed by the
fear that some day they may find
themselves in position successfully
occupied by Czecho-Slovakia, Po-
land and now by Finland"
Mr.. Chamberlain said that yes
terday's submarine attack was the
first such assault in a long time.
His audience recalled that VIM
ston Churchill, the first lord of the
admiralty, had stated at Manchester
Saturday that the odds were 400 to
against the Germans successfully
attacking convoy.
The leader of the Liberal opposi-
ton, Sir Archibald Sinclair, ad-
dressing another meeting, said that
he shared Mr.. Churchills hope that
the neutral nations would see the
necessity of uniting" for the de-
tense of their liberties.
The North Sea continued to cast
up new casualties of the quickening
war in the air and on the waves.
Sixteen survivors from the sunken
British steamer Giralda, 2,178 tons,
.(See CHAMBERLAIN, Page A-4D