U.S.A. NEUTRALITY

Grey River Argus, 27 September 1939, Page 8

U.S.A. NEUTRALITY

LATEST PLAN For Sale of War Material [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] WASHINGTON, September 26. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has postponed until Thursday action concerning the Neutrality Bill, at the request of Senator Borah, who said that he wanted time to study its provisions. Senator Pittman Chairman of the Committee, has made public the key provisions of the Bill as follows: The Bill prohibits:— (1) American vessels carrying passengers or goods to the belligerents, and any arms except small arms necessary to preserve discipline. (2) Americans travelling in belligerent vessels, except in accordance with the rules prescribed by the President. (3) Belligerents buying goods in America, unless they take title before shipping, or selling securities and obtaining commercial credits for periods over 90 days. The Bill further remits the President to designate combat areas, to prohibit American citizens and vessels from entering them, and to restrict the use of American ports by the belligerents’ submarines or armed merchantmen. The Bill exempts the Latin American Republics from fighting in nonAmerican States, also Red Cross personnel and vessels. The penalties range to a maximum [ o<j five (years’ imprisonment and a [50,000-oollar fine. To Keep War in Europe U.S. AND LATIN AMERICAN CO-OPERATION PANAMA, September 25. Mr Sumner Welles, opening the Pan-American Conference, offered Latin America United States’ economic co-operation and the assistance of the United State merchant marine as ways of helping to cushion the effect of the war in the Western Hemisphere. He asserted that the Western Republics were determined to defend themselves and their rights, and called on delegates to state emphatically:— “We cannot agree that the security of our nationals’ legitimate commercial interests should be jeopardised by belligerent activities in close proximity to the shores of the New World.” Recalling the destruction of interAmerican shipping in 1914, Mr Welles said the United States felt that “an opportunity was at present afforded us, severally to assure ourselves and each other that it shall not occur again.”

He was authorised to state the United States position as follows: —. “While the present situation continues, regular facilities for the shipping lines at present in operation are not only not being curtailed, but are being strengthened and increased whenever an increase is desirable or feasible.”

He expressed the opinion that the Republics desire to consider the rights and duties of neutrals, and would obtain “complete respect by all the belligerents of our respective sovereignties.” Pan-American Demand FOR FREEDOM OF SHIPPING FROM BELLIGERENT INTERFERENCE. (Received Sept. 26, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 25. The Panama City correspondent of the “New York Times” states: The Pan-American Foreign Ministers will urge the belligerents to refrain from all hostile actions, including the search and seizure of vessels, in American waters south of the Canadian border, and they will also provide means for consultation to enforce compliance with the request by those unwilling to agree. This is likely to be the conference’s most important action. The details are still in abeyance. The Cubans and Chileans and others have plans ranging from a three-mile territorial limit to half-way across the Atlantic and the Pacific. The actual distance is not important, as a long-range implication is such an upset to the traditional freedom of the seas. The partisans argue that belligerents have no right to interfere with purely interAmerican shipping, and must reserve their searches and seizure for zones outside of the lines travelled by the Pan-American ships.

Filipinos’ Attitude TO THE WAR SITUATION (Received Sept. 26, 7.30 p.m.) MANILA, September 25. There is a war emergency meeting of the Philippine National Assembly being held. The Assembly unexpectedly debated the matter of Philippine independence at the opening session. Assemblyman Jose Romera, a member of the Joint Preparatory Committee and a High Councillor of Quezons, Party, proposed the postponing of independence in view of adverse world conditions. His speech aroused strong unorganised opposition at first, and the Filipino Majority Party members openly broached the fact that the proposal for postponement coincided with the arrival of fourteen United States bombers in the country, which had, officially, been sent to assist in the preservation of neutrality. Senor Romero said: “We talk of ignominy and slavery. We are not slaves, but are free in all but form. We may be slaves if we refuse to recognise the logic of contemporary, events.” (Received September 26, 9.45 p.m.) PANAMA CITY, September 26. At the Pan American Conference, several delegations were reported to be in favour of . a co-operative naval patrol for North anil .South America.