REPEAL ISSUE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 9, 22 October 1941, Page 6

REPEAL ISSUE

AMERICAN NEUTRALITY ACT. PRESIDENT CONSULTS LEADERS SENATE COMMITTEE DIVIDER 1 . / (United Press Association —Copyright.) (Pee. 12.5) WASHINGTON, Qc;t. 21. The of the Neutrality Act which bau§ American merchantmen fropv combat zones, should bo, repealedor modified-, said tfye 'Secretory of 'State (Mr Cordell Hull) giving evidence bfc fore tl>e> Senate Foreign Relations Committee. When American ships were being wantonly and unlawfully attached with complete disregard for life and property it would be absurd to forego, any legitimate measures helpful toward self-defence. It would he especially absurd to continue to prohibit, the arming of merchantmen. For the United States to cling to the hope of escaping the fate of other countries would be little short of criminal negligence. President Roosevelt conferred with Congressional leaders to determine whether to press for further modifications of the Neutrality Act. Later Senator Barkley said that the policyregarding the procedure was unchanged.

It ft reported that the Foreign Relations Committee is almost divided on whether to recommend the repeal of the whole Neutrality Act.

The Washington correspondent of the “New Yprfi. Times” says that the move by Republican Senators, Messrs Bridges, Austin and Qprney, for repeal of the entire Neutrality Act is obviously influenced by the foreign policy of Mr Wendell lYillkie. Mis not aimed at Mr Roosevelt’s major international policy-, but at- fhe Administrations’ “half-way of step-by-step” measures. Observers do not doubt that Mr. Willlde took part in the planning of the move, which has obviously deepened the cleavage within the Republican Party over questions of international policy.