UNITED STATES NEUTRALITY

Evening Star, Issue 23128, 30 November 1938, Page 14

UNITED STATES NEUTRALITY

AMENDING THE EXISTING LAW PLAN TO APPLY EMBARGO TO AGGRESSORS L• J 1 Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 28. A United Press exclusive copywright despatch from Washington states that a plan to amend the United States Neutrality Act, enabling the President to apply an embargo to any nation he deemed an aggressor, is being prepared for presentation to President Roosevelt.

The amendment is aimed to transform into law one of the most powerful diplomatic weapons in existence. It is understood that Canada would; be included among the list of nations to which the Act does not now apply, the whole concept being to strengthen President 'Roosevelt’s programme for defence in the western hemisphere. Congressional action concerning the amendment is expected. By permitting the President to distinguish between an aggressor and a defender nation, whereas the Act at present makes the application of an embargo against both belligerents obligatory, the United States would be in a position to exert pressure on Governments that need supplies from America in order to conduct war, and the Act would thus he an instrument for backing un American foreign policy. President Boosevelt and the Acting Secretary of State, Mr Welles, denied that the amendments are virtually completed, hut the United Press correspondent pointed out that this does not obviate the possibility that plans are at present under consideration, without having crystallised into specific recommendations.