TIME FOR REPEAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19893, 22 March 1939, Page 5

TIME FOR REPEAL

NEUTRALITY ACT NEW YORK PRESS VIEW PROPOSED REVISION SUPPLY OF MUNITIONS AID TO DEMOCRACIES (Elec. Tel. Copyright—UnltoA Press Assn.) (Reed: March 22, 10 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 20. The Acting-Secretary of State, Mr. Sumner Welles, handed the German Charge d'Affaires the note formally advising Germany concerning the opinion of the United States Government of the seizure of Czechoslovakia. Senator Key Pittman, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bill in the Senate providing that a month after the beginning of hostilities between foreign States, a Presidential proclamation would make unlawful the carriage of goods or passengers by any American vessel to the countries concerned. All materials, however, would be available to any nation able to pay cash and carry the goods in its own vessels. This, it is believed, would aid the democracies since they control the seas. The State Department anounced that. it had ordered the closure of the United States Legation at Prague.

The New York Times, in a leading article, states that the outbreak of general war in Europe would be conceivable only in the event of an aggressive Germany or disappointed Italy, egged on by German promises, pushing ahead to some new conquest at the expense of Britain or France )r a smaller nation whose integrity these Powers would defend. "In such a war there would be no doubt where our interests would lie; they would lie on the side of the nations engaged in defending our own way of life," continues the New York Times. "We would serve American interests best by permitting the democracies to acquire, in our markets, weapons for self-defence. "The enormous potential output of American war industries is a factor of immense importance to the world to-day. It is so large a factor that the adoption of the Pittman amendment could in itself be expected to play a part in resolving the present crisis in Europe. It would give Germany one additional important reason for taking no risk involving all Europe in war and to that extent might help to keep the world at peace."

The New York Herald-Tribune says that the Pittman revision might work satisfactorily in case of war in Europe, but it would compel America to deny the Chinese the chance of getting American munitions, which would be ridiculous. "The Neutrality Act should be repealed outright," states the Herald-Tribune. GAINS BY GERMANY BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA ;\IILLLONS IN MATERIAL (Reccl. (March 22, 10 a.m.) LONDON, March 21. The Berlin correspondent of The Times says that Germany acquired from Bohemia and Moravia £ 17,000,000 sterling in gold and foreign exchange .belonging to the Czech Bank, small quantities of ammunition and a limited number of modern aeroplanes from the 1500 machines confiscated. The greatest gain is in agricultural, armamental and industrial equipment, which is superior to the Austrian, while the raw material is worth £250,000,000. MENACE TO POLAND OPPOSITION WARNING COALITION SOUGHT (Reed. March 22, noon.) WARSAW, March 21. The four Polish Opposition parties have separately requested the President, M. Moscicki, to form a National Union Cabinet, including Opposition representatives on the grounds of the "menace to Poland through Germany's expansion." VERSAILLES REPUDIATION HELIGO LAND ARMAMENT (Reed. March 22, 9 a.m.) LONDON, March 20. Speaking in the House of Commons, the Foreign Under-Secretary, Mr. R. A. Buitlcr, said that Germany had completed the fortification of Heligoland 1 . Herr Hitler's action .in this respect was a repudiation of the Versailles Treaty. ROYAL INSURANCE RISK VISIT TO AMERICA (Independent Cable Sorvico.) (Reed. March 22, 9 a.m.) LONDON, March 21. The European crisis has caused an increase in the number of inquiries for insurance against the cancellation of the Royal visit to America. Lloyds are now quoting 21 per cent.