NEUTRALITY ACT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 September 1939, Page 7

NEUTRALITY ACT

AMERICAN AMENDMENT PLANS

SENATOR PITTMAN’S HINT. PRESIDENT & THE EMBARGO. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. WASHINGTON, September 24. The final draft of the Neutrality Bill has been completed by the Democrat members of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate. The chairman. Senator Key Pittman, predicts that the committee will report favourably on it. He says the draft covers President Roosevelt’s points and makes an important addition, which he declined to disclose. He claims that it is more neutral than the present Act. It is hinted that the important ad dition to the Neutrality Bill, referred to by Senator Pittman, strengthens the provision prohibiting American ships from carrying passengers or freights of belligerents. President Roosevelt announced thal he will return to Washington tomorrow to assume personal command of the drive for the repeal of the arms embargo. AMENDING BILL DISCLOSURE OF LEADING DETAILS. POWERS FOR PRESIDENT. (Received This Day. 9.15 a.m.) WASHINGTON, September 25. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee postponed until Thursday action concerning the Neutrality Bill, at the request of Senator Borah, who said he wanted time to study its provisions. Senator K. Pittman, chairman of the committee, made public the key provisions of. the Bill as follows: —It prohibits:— (1) American vessels carrying passengers and goods to belligerents and any arms, except small arms necessary to preserve discipline. (2) Americans travelling in belligerent vessels except in accordance with rules prescribed by the President. (3) Belligerents buying goods in America unless they are taking title before shipping, or selling securities and obtaining commercial credits for periods over 90 days. The Bill further pe'rmits the President to designate combat areas and prohibit American citizens and vessels from entering them, and to restrict the use of American ports by belligerent submarines or armed merchantmen.

The Bill exempts Latin American Republics fighting non-American States, and also Red Cross personnel and vessels. Penalties range to a maximum of five years’ imprisonment and a 50,000 dollar fine. NAZI PROPAGANDA ATTEMPTS TO INFLUENCE OPINION. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) WASHINGTON, September 25. The State Department has received copies of cablegrams from Germany to various individuals in America, urging them to do their utmost to prevent the repeal of the arms embargo, drawing attention to the sinking of the Athenia and urging the United States not to be stampeded into unneutral acts by such a repeal. G-men are determining how widely the cablegrams have been circulated.