PENALTY APPROVED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20080, 28 October 1939, Page 7

PENALTY APPROVED

USE OF U.S. FLAG FOREIGN VESSELS NEUTRALITY DEBATE (Reed. Oct. 27, 2.50 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 26. The Senate during the debate on the bill for revision of the Neutrality Act, adopted Senator Tobey’s amendbent to penalise the use of the United States flag or other markings by a foreign vessel, by denying offenders entry to American ports or territorial water for three months.

Senator Tobey asserted that the British had used the flag device in the last war in order to mislead German submarines. Similar use in the present war would endanger American vessels.

He admitted, however, he had asked the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, whether this had occurred to date and had been assured it had not. The Senate defeated an amendment prohibiting the sale of poison gas, flame-throwers and other weapons of chemical warfare.

Senator Barkley, in opposing the amendment, argued that a belligerent would hesitate to use them if lie knew that United States’ supplies of such weapons were available to his enemies. Senators Neely and Hale, in concurring, warned the Senate that a victory for Herr Hitler would turn Canada into an “armed camp of HenHitler’s followers.” Then the United States would be subjected to the same bloody orgy that had desecrated Poland.

The Senate defeated by 55 votes to 27 an amendment submitted ,by Senator Downey to confine sales of armaments to American nations defending themselves against non-American countries.