Evening star., 1941-10-01
Roosevelt Sees
Hull Again on
Neutrality Plans
President May Seek
PiecemeuI Revision
To Alloy Controversy

President Roosevelt conferred for
about 40 minutes today with Secre-
tary of State Hull in a continuing
consideration of foreign policy and
administration plans for revising the
neutrality law.
Pending completion of the Roose-
velt-Hull deliberations. which have
been continuing on this particular
issue for 10 days, the Chief EXecu-
tive will defer his consultations with
congressional leaders on strategy to
be followed.
1t is generally expected that ad-
mlnistration recommendation will
be limited to revision rather than
outright repeal of the law, and that
pressure for the desired changes will
be delayed until the pending $685.
100000 lend appropriation is
well on It's way to enactment.
Piecemeal Revision.
The President had two other en-
gagements today pertaining to for
eign affairs. First of these was with
DR.. Thomas A. LIE Breton, Argentine
Ambassador to Great Britain, who
Is now en- route to Buenos Aires to
report to his government.
The second engagement was with
Sir Shanmukhan Chiefly, head of
the Indian Purchasing Commission
In the United States. There was
speculation that this meeting NAV
have a bearing on the quantity of
supplies to be shipped in the near
future to the British base in Singa-
pore, and other materials going to
Rangoon for transshipment to China
or to the Middle East.
Reliable sources said the Presi-
dent probably would ask Congress
only for authority to arm American
merchant ships and to send them
TO Canadian ports from which the
law now bans them.
Several congressional leaders
have advocated outright repeal of
the Neutrality Act, or-as suggested
by Chairman Connally of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee-modi-
f1cations which would permit not
only the arming of the ships, but
their entry into European belligerent
! ports to deliver war supplies.
The latter proposal might be ex-
pected to provoke lengthy, bitter
debate and one administration SEN
ator, who asked that he not be
quoted by name, said he had ad-
vlsed against it. He felt. he said.
that a rising tide of support for
the steps the President had taken
thus far to aid nations fighting
Hitler might be retarded by a full
dress controversy in Congress.
The Easier Course.
There were indications that SEN
ate opposition to the arming of
American merchantmen would be
much less formidable, so long as
that proposal was not linked with
a plan to send the ships into en-
battled European ports.
In the House, Democratic leaders
were reported convinced that there
would be an overwhelming majority
for arming merchant ships. and
further that complete repeal of the
Neutrality Act could be obtained. if
desired.
One House administration lieu-
tenant said that there are votes
to spare" for legislation which would
wipe the 6-year-old law off the
statute books with the exception
OF a provision providing for the
licensing of exports of arms and
ammunition.
But others shared the opinion that
only the single modification attempt
should be made-the simple repeal
OF the prohibition against putting
guns on cargo vessels.
Fish Favors Arming Ships.
The proposal for arming the ships
drew the unexpected Endorsement
today of Representative Fish, Re
publican, Of New York, usually ar
opponent of President Roosevelt,s
foreign policy.
L see no objection to arminp OIL,
ships so that they can protect them.
selves" Representative Fish said
regard that as a defensive meas.
ure. Neither am I opposed to con.
Voylng supplies as far as Iceland"
Representative Fish reiterated hi,
intention to introduce a resolution
calling for the United States to de.
clare war on Germany in orde]
that we may have a showdown
once and for all on this question
He said he might make his pro.
posal in the form of an amendnen,
to any legislation on the Neutralit,
Act.
Modification of the act to permi
ships to enter Canadian ports, chic
OF which is Halifax, Nova Scotia
would merely remove a restriction
imposed in the law itself agains
deliveries to belligerent ports in al
area north of latitude IS north ant
east of longitude 66 west.
Recommendations Next Week.
Under this section American ship
could not go to certain Canadian
ports although there was no prohi
bition against their travelling to ad
jacent Newfoundland, or to Green
land and Iceland, much nearer th
actual war zone.
'(The status of Newfoundland un
(See NEUTRAIITY. Page A-20