Evening star., 1940-01-20
Neutrality Aci
Bars Shipment Of
Arms 10 China
Only Remoining Ports Of
Entry Are British
And French
BY ANDRUE BERDNG,
Associated Press Star Writer.

<AANOXVOG DENDkINOS
Associated Press Stan Writer.
The Neutrality Act Is a pretty
dull, legalistic document, but it has
given rise to a number of oddities
and curiosities. For example:
American arms, ammunition and
implements of war can't be shipped
any longer to China on American
ships, but they can be to Japan.
Why?
Because the only ports of entry to
China are now through French
Indo-China and British Burma
Japan having occupied all the
Chinese ports-and the Neutrality
Act says American ships cannot
carry arms to belligerent ports any,
where in the world.
Can't Fly Into Canada.
An American pilot can fly an
American airplane up to the Ca
madam border, but he can't fly it
across. He can get out at the
border, arrange for transfer of title
to the ship to Canadian, and then
with some assistance) push it
across, get in and fly it to its desti-
nation in Canada.
The same American pilot could
test out planes for Canada in Cam
ada, but he could not test out planes
for Canada in France. Why not?
Because an American is forbidden
to travel on belligerent vessels in
the combat area-France is in the
combat area-and an airplane is
regarded as vessel.
An American corporation could
not ship a box of letterheads to it's
Paris branch without first transfer
ring ownership of them to a for
elgner. To comply with this re-
quqirement the American corpora
ton could simply transfer the title
to its branch in Paris, if the branch,
were incorporated under the laws of
France. Such branch is consid-
cred foreign person.
Can Assign Title to Clerk.
Otherwise. the American corpora
ton could assign title to Jean or
Andre, the French clerk or office
boy in the Paris Office. And the
corporation would not have to prove
that there was any such person
as Jean or Andre. The essential
point is that the title shall pass
out OF American hands so that if
something goes wrong, the corpora
ton can bring no claim and the
State Department won't have to get
into a diplomatic squabble.
An American can go into Canada
carrying rifle, ostensibly for hunt
ing, and not have an export per-
init for the rifle. But if he ex-
presses the rifle to himself in Can
ada he must apply to the State De-
partment for an export permit.
If John Smith, of Buffalo, N. Y,
enlists in the Canadian army while
in Buffalo, he can be sent to Jail.
But If he goes across the border into
Canada and enlists he has COM
mitted no wrong under the Neutral
ity Act.
Can't Cash Personal Checks.
II a secretary at the British En-
baSsy cashes a personal check on
a British bank at a Washington
bank, the bank violates the Neutral
ity Act. Cashing of such a check
Is regarded as credit.
The bank is in the clear if, before
cashing the check, it waits until
the check has been honored in
London and the cash sent t0 the
bank.
If a secretary at the French
Embassy has an account in dollars
in an American bank and over
draws his account the bank vio-
lates the act. An overdraft is con-
sidered credit.
A certain American company
manufactures commercial gas
which it sends to Canada in heavy
steel containers. Each time the
containers go to Canada title on
them must be transferred.
But they come back to this side
again and again for refilling and
each time they leave this country
the government must be given evi-
dence that the title is in foreign
hands.