NEUTRALITY LAW

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20050, 23 September 1939, Page 10

NEUTRALITY LAW

AMERICAN FETTERS CALL FOR RELIEF ROOSEVELT’S APPEAL NEW YORK PRESS VIEW (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Recti. Scot. 23, 9 a.rn.) NEW YORK, Sept. 21. The speech made by President Roosevelt to the extraordinary session of Congress which he urged to repeal the embargo clauses of the Neutrality Act and return to the principles of international law in trading with'the belligerent Powers is the subject of widespread comment.

An overwhelming majority of the nation’s outstanding newspapers support Mr. Roosevelt, The leading article of the New York Herald Tribune is typical. It states: “There are broader basic ai'guments favouring repeal which the President could no 1 well explore. The United States is facing a complex, difficult and wholly unpredictable situation. Therefore, in’the first place, it'is important to regain liberty of action to deal with eventualities' No legislation would prevent the United States going to war if war presented the only means of defending vital interests. No insults, difficuPies or incidents would compel the United States to fight if vital interests did not demand if Neither peace nor war is the issue. Tt is a question whether to bind ourselves with fetters that have proved unsatisfactory in the past and that may only be more difficult to break in the future.”

Rises In Slocks

Mr. Roosevelt’s speech was given after the Eastern Stock Exchange had closed, but rises in steel and aircraft stocks were recorded in the West.

United States Steel closed at 811 in Snn Francisco compared with 781 at the New York closing. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation stocks closed at 301 in Los Angeles and 30?, in San Francisco compared with 29 at the New York closing.

The absence of the German, Italian and Japanese Ambassadors from the diplomatic gallery is commented upon. The German and Italian Embassies explained that their Ambassadors had luncheon engagements. The Japanese Embassy explained that the Ambassador was “very, very busy.”