U.S. NEUTRALITY

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 September 1939, Page 8

U.S. NEUTRALITY

MR. ROOSEVELT’S PLANS [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. September 20, 10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, September 19. Mr. Roosevelt announced that he is planning to appear in person at the joint session of the Senate and the House, at 2 p.m. on Thursday, and to request a. revision of the neutrality law. SENATOR BORAH’S COMMENT. WASHINGTON, September 18. Senator W. E. Borah said that the apparent increase in Russian and Japanese friendship might change the Administration’s desire for a cash-and-carry policy and lead Mr. Roosevelt to seek a return to international law, entailing the abandonment of all neutrality legislation. Senator Borah said he would prefer this to some things which might be offered. The Secretary of State (Mr. Cordell Hull) told a Press conference to-day that the United States Government was not unmindful of the entry of Russian troops into Poland. Further study would be necessary before there could be any announcement about extending the arms embargo to the Soviet. Mr. Roosevelt has announced an increase of 2000 men in the American Coast Guard Service.

LA AV JOURNAL’S OPINION NEW YORK, September 19. The Law .Journal says editorially: The United States neutrality law conflicts with the international neutrality law, as it previously has been understood and applied. It adds that the United States, while a non-combatant in the World War, refused, despite a German protest, to depart from neutrality as it previously was understood in international law. The paper quotes the first volume of “Kent’s Commentaries, 1826,” wherein it is held and shown that neutrals may lawfully sell,' or carry, to belligerents, contraband goods, subject to the right of seizure in transit.

ATTITUDE OF LABOUR NEW YORK, September 18. At Springfield, to-day, Mr. William Green, the President of the American Federation of Labour, said: The Federation of Labour will be active at the special session of Congress to urge strict American neutrality and also the prevention of war profiteering. A JAPANESE OPINION. NEW YORK, September 19. The Yokohama correspondent of the Associated Press of America states that a former counsellor at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, Mr. Yakichiro Suma, said: “Unlike 1914, Americans are now definitely antiGerman, and, because they are not emotional people, I believe it is only a matter of time before the United States goes to war.”

OPEN TOWNS BOMBED. ROOSEVELT “DEEPLY SHOCKED.” WASHINGTON, September 18. Mr. Roosevelt, replying to the message from the. President of Poland (M. Moscicki) about the bombing of open towns in Poland, said that he was deeply shocked at reports that Germany had bombed open towns and villages. Pie was again asking the belligerents to renew orders prohibiting bombing from the air of civilians, and io assure themselves that their air force personnels were showing the regard for the lives of non-combatants that the replies to his appeal on September 1 led the world to expect. POLISH AMBASSADOR. WASHINGTON, September IS. The Department of State said that

iho Polish Ambasador to the United States (Count Potocki) would continue to represent Poland in the United Stales, in spite of Poland’s disintegration. The department was seeking to settle the status of the United States representation in Poland. The Secretary for State (Mr. Cordell [lull) announced that, the former Ambasador to Poland (Mr. A. J. Biddle) was going to France. The Embassy to Poland would probably be established in Paris if the Polish Government was there.