VIEWS OF MR HULL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 28 October 1941, Page 5

VIEWS OF MR HULL

LAW OF SEEI-DEFENCE ! EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMITTEE • Rec. 11.15 a.m. Washington, Oct. 27. “The arming of merchantmen mipht be described as leading to war, but •situation is that we will not be in the war until Hitler decrees we shall.” said Mr Cordell Hull. Secretary of State, giving evidence before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on neutrality “The United States does not intend to rush out somewhere and get into a real war. We are now pursuing a course dictated by the law of self-dc* fence. We shall pursue a somewhat resolute course, not enough to be fool ' trouble, but enough to command the respect that one brave man has lor another.” Referring to ihe German plans t>» invade Britain Mr Hull said that the Nazis had platforms erected in Berlin for the greatest victory celebrations m history, but United States' aid to Britain helped induce the German generals to finally call off the invasion. REPEAL URGED BY COL. KNOX A message from Detroit says that the repeal of the Neutrality Act was urged ! by Col. Knox, secretary of the Navy, in a speech at a Navy Day celebration. "The Act imperils the security of the United States and jeopardises the safety of the nations fighting the Germans. We nei ther think nor act neutral. It is only honest to make laws consistent with our action. The risk we incur in arming our ships and sending them to sea it far less than the risk of allowing England to lose the war.** Col. Knox called for national solidarity and unity in order that the United States escape France's fate. “If we need resolution, let us recall France's pitiful situation where Marshal Retain :* pleading to avoid still more bloody reprisals by more thorough subservience i to the conquerors.” i Denouncing isolationism, Col. Knox | said: “Russia practised this policy first j onlv to find it proved disastrous. The United States had 346 combatant ships | commissioned. 345 under construction, an auxiliary fleet of 323 and a prospective addition of 209. The Fleet Air Arm had 4535 planes with 5832 under I construction, and the Navy was aiming at 17,000 trained pilots,” concluded Col. Knox. —U.P.A.