Evening star., 1948-02-05
The Memoirs of CordeII Hull
Hu|I's Plan in 1895 to Stort StockpiIing Tin
In Preparation for War Stymied by British

] to what extent there could be suit
able cooperation by the law-abid-
ing nations to curb the rapidly de-
veloping plans of military aggres-
sion. But our Government, as I
knew, was obliged virtually to ig-
more this possible method of pre-.
serving the peace, for the patent
reason that public opinion here was,
in majority, militantly and almost
violently against our entering any
such joint undertakings.
| The only alternative remaining
was for the United States, while
continuing to preach and practice
peace a! urging like policies on all
nations, o-cecially the avowed ag-
gressors, to take immediate notice
of the agsressors' movements and
arm our Nation without delay to
the extent adequate for our Sc
curity.
Memorandum to President.
At the beginning of 1885 I had
already communicated to the Presi-
dent my fervent belief that we
should hasten construction OF q
larger Navy, particularly because Of
the situation in the Far East. On
January %, 1885, sent him MEM
orandum inclosing copy of an ex-
cellent dispatch from Ambassador
Grew in Tokyo giving comprehen-
sive view of the outlook in the
Orient, and a copy of a memo
randum prepared in the State De-
partment Oh the Far East.
One paragraph of the department
memorandum read: I'VE should
speed our efforts toward possessing
Ia Navy so strong that no other
country will think seriously Of at
tacking us; and we should let 1t be
clearly seen that, while not wanting
to fight and having no reason for
attacking any other country, the
people Of this country not only are
not too proud to fight but, given
certain situations, would be too
proud not to fight
A mutual friend Of the President
and me, Bernard Baruch, told me
one day that the President ex-
pressed surprise that I should be
plugging" for a bigger Navy.
In 1885 I had begun to plan how
to build up a stockpile Of tin, q
strategic material not produced in
large quantities in the United
States, which would be essential to
the War and Navy Departments In
the event Of war. Through DR.. Her
bert Feis. economic adviser Of the
department, who elaborated the
plan, I communicated with British
Ambassador Sir Ronald Lindsay and
laid the project before him. Basi-
cally it was that the British govern
ment should procure and deliver to
our government a given quantity Of
tin, the value of which would be
credited to Britain's Indebtedness
to this government.
After Sir Ronald had digested the
plan, he came in to see me on June
6. 1885, and said he was forwarding
the suggestion to London.
Suggestion Rebuffed.
Sir Ronald was most gloomy. He
said the British people considered
the debts done with, and that the
British government would have Diff
ficulty getting appropriations with
which to pay for the tin to be de-
tlivered to US.
II reminded the Ambassador that
the chief supply Of tin IN the world
was under the control Of British
capital. Some little payment in
kind, such as we proposed, would be
revival of and In harmony With
the spirit behind the token pay
ments that his government had
been cheerfully making until the
unfortunate effects Of the Hiram
johnson Act were created. This
move would have a pleasing effect
on the state of mind of our people
toward the British government.
But Sir Ronald did not think the
proposal would be received favor
ably even by the British Foreign
Office. He was right. The answer
from London was complete refusal.
1t was not until four years later,
three months before the outbreak
of the European war, that we were
able to negotiate an agreement
with Britain whereby, through ex-
changing cotton for rubber and tin,
we began to create reserves Of stra-
tegic materials.
Actually, had our efforts at the
State Department been fruitful as
early and as fully as we wished, the
coming Of war at Pearl Harbor
would have found us with reserves
sufficient to ease the burden Of the
war period.
| (Copyright. 194S, by North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)