Evening star., 1941-10-04
By GARNETT ID. HORNER

Secretary of State Hull today de-
nounced the sinking of the Amerl-
can-oWned tanker 7. c. White q:
another act of lawleSsness, piracy
and attempted frightfulness" in
connection with a movement for
world conquest so unprecedented as
to make Americas right Of Self-de-
fense supersede previous conceptions
of international law.
The I. c. White, which had been
transferred to Panamanlan regis
try was sunk September 27 by a
torpedo off the coast of Brazil and
in the same waters where the Amer
lean flag freighter Robin Moor was
sent to the bottom May 81. En- route
from Curacao to CapetoWn, she car
ried a crew of SO officers and men.
OF these. the United States consul
late in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, re-
ported today "a have been rescued.
Search is being pressed in the South
Atlantic for the remaining four.
No New Word Received.
Mr.. Hull said he had no new in
formation concerning the sinking.
but that it seems to be another
act of laWlesSness. piracy and at
tempted frightfulness in connection
with the general movement to drive
people off the Atlantic Ocean,
which is part Of the world move
ment of conquest" He made the
unusual gesture of permitting cor
respondents to quote him directly.
Even if the vessel were operating
under British orders, this country
has a tremendous interest in the in
cident because under the right of
self-defense we are committed to a
policy of aiding Britain as quickly
as possible with supplies, Mr.. Hull
pointed out.
The Secretary remarked that when
an aggressor is coming at a person
with gun. it is time for that person
to defend himself and the aggressor
has no right TO invoke any laws to
limit the defense.
British Interests Asked About.
Mr.. Hull's discussion of interna-
tlonal law came in response to ques-
tions at a press conference about
The significance of reports that while
the l. c. White was American owned
and operating under Panama reg
istry. she had been turned over to
Great Britain under the Lease
Lend Act and was under British
orders.
The Secretary pointed out that
international law. as it has de-
veloped over hundreds of years, has
applied largely to local or regional
wars. But now, he said, the situa-
ton is unusual and unprecedented
with every indica ton of an at
tempted conquest of the whole earth.
This worldwide nature of the
movement for conquest, he added,
gives every nation affected the in
herent right of Self-defense. He
emphasized that such distractions
of international law as have applied
to regional wars must be construed
and dealt with now in the light of
self-defense.
1t follows. he said. that those
phases of international law Which
have applied to local and regional
wars should not apply to the right
OF self-defense against attempted
world conquest.
Aid Policy Affected.
This policy of aiding Britain fs
affected every time a German sub.
marine sinks vessel carrying SUD.
plies under this program, the Sec
retary emphasized.
The point is. he said, that a coun-
try bent on conquest against some
new area of the world proceeds to
try to secure control of the high seas
and deny the right of the country
attempting to defend itself to take
acts necessary in that defense.
If distractions of international
law could be invoked to limit acts of
the defending nation. then no coun-
try could defend itself as the ag-
gressor dictated, the Secretary
pointed out.
Word of the latest torpedo-sink-
ing of an American-owne vessel
a week ago today in the South At
lantic-reached the Capital as ad-
ministration leaders were trying to
make sure of enough congressional