AMERICA NEUTRAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 280, 8 September 1939, Page 6

AMERICA NEUTRAL.

FORECAST OF REVISION. MAJOR SHiFT INEVITABLE. LIFTING OF EMBARGO LIKELY. NEW YORK, September 6. The “New York Times” states: “Congress may be called by Mr Roosevelt as early as September 15 to act upon the Neutrality Act, it was disclosed in New York by official sources in close touch with Washington. It was also disclosed that Mr Roosevelt feels that a major shift in the country’s position toward the European conflict is inevitable. A message from Indianapolis says that Senator Minton, the Democrat Whip, to-day predicted a special session of Congress by October 1 for the revision of the neutrality legislation. “Feeling in the United States is swinging toward lifting the embargo, partly for economic reasons and partly because of the crystallisation of American sentiment toward the questions involved in the turmoil in Europe/’ ho said.

The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” says: “What will the United States do if its merchantmen arc stopped at sea? How far will it go should merchant cargoes be arbitrarily defined contraband by belligerents and seized? “Even if Americans are compensated for losses, these and dozens of similar questions are expected to arise in the next flew months; but (officials .are hesitant to give any answer. . They prefer to await actual cases, each with its own set of circumstances.” The correspondent then emphasises that the United States lias not decided what its neutrality actually means, and intimates that if the present neutrality statute continues to stand it will he a fertile source of trouble for the United States. SPECIAL SESSION SUGGESTED. PRESIDENT CANVASSES LEADERS (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 7. President Roosevelt held an emergency meeting of Cabinet and indicated that lie was also canvassing the leaders to call a special, session of Congress. SHORT-TERM CREDITS ALLOWED. (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, September 7. President Roosevelt has ruled that short-term commercial credits to belligerents are permissible under the Neutrality Act. POLITICAL TRUCE. NO BY-ELECTIONS IN BRITAIN. (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.) LONDON, September 7. All political parties have agreed not to contest ponding by-elections, which number four —three Conservative* and one. Labour —since contests are not desirable in time of war. BRITAIN BUYS WHEAT. MANY MILLIONS OF BUSHELS. (Received This Day, 1.40 p.m.) NEW YORK] September 7. Private cables from .Buenos Aires rcceiveci at Chicago report the sale of 100,000)000 bushels of Argentina wheat to England.