ROOSEVELT RENEWS PLEA

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 134, 2 March 1936, Page 9

ROOSEVELT RENEWS PLEA

No Increased Exports To Belligerents EXTENDED NEUTRALITY LAW SIGNED By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received Maxell 1, 7.20 p.m.) Washington, February 29. A new appeal to American business not to capitalise foreign wars by increasing exports to belligerents for the sake of additional profits was made by President Roosevelt to-day. Coincident with the signing of the extension of the Neutrality Act, he issued the following statement: — “By the resolution I have just signed the August, 1935, resolution is extended and strengthened until May, 1937. New and definite steps have been taken by providing in substance that when an embargo becomes effective obligations to any belligerent Government issued after the date of the proclamation shall not be purchased or sold in this country and no loan or credit extended to such Government.” The statement indicates some minor exceptions to the above regulation, and continues: “The policies announced by the Secretary of State and myself at the time of and subsequent to the issuance of the original proclamation will be maintained in effect. .It is true that the high moral dirty I have urged on our people of restricting exports of essential war material to either belligerent to approximately the normal peace-time basis has not been the subject of legislation. Nevertheless, it is clear to me that greatly to exceed that basis with a result of earning profits not possible during peace and especially with the result of giving actnajl assistance to the carrying on of ' war would serve to magnify the very evil of war which we seek to prevent.” The statement concludes: “This being my view, I renew the appeal made last October to American people that they so conduct trade with belligerent nations that it cannot be said that they are seizing new opportunities of profit or that, by changing their peace-time trade, they give aid to the continuation of war.” The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times” states: No secret has been made of the fact that the new Act is alike almost equally unsatisfactory to both the President and Congressional groups. President Roosevelt would like a wider discretion to be given him in administering the embargo provisions, while extremist peace advocates have served notice that they will continue to work for the law that laid down a blanket embargo against any and all belligerent countries. At the same time, sympathisers with Italy have threatened to force through legislation that will relax the restrictions in the current law.