ARMS EMBARGO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 November 1939, Page 5

ARMS EMBARGO

ITI-TCT (IF THE AMERICAN REPEAL HEAVY PURCHASES BY ALLIES CONTEMPLATED. HUNDREDS OF PLANES READY FOR DELIVERJC By Telegraph—Press Assoeianon—Copyright. WASHINGTON. November 2. Administration leaders expect the Neutrality Bill to be ready for signature on November 4. The only possibility of a hitch is the slender chance of a Senate filibuster against the conference report, but unless the House unanimously consents to immediate consideration of the report il must lie one day. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times" says the majority of 62 in the House of Representatives for repeal, of the arms embargo astounded Administration leaders, the most optimistic predicting at most a majority of 40. Contributing factors are believed to be recent foreign developments, particularly the seizure of the City of Flint and M. Molotov’s speech. Technically the House disagreed with the Senate's measure, but this will not prewent agreement on essentials, because the House refused to instruct conference delegates to insist on the House's own language. Administration quarters expect that repeal will release orders totalling 1,000,000.000 dollars. It is authoritatively stated that Britain is contemplating purchasing 4000 planes, France 3800, Sweden upward of 250. and Belgium 200. France has already placed a contract for 4600 aero engines to cost 50,000,000 dollars. A British mission is negotiating for 1600 training planes. Three hundred of the warplanes ordered by Britain and France before the war are crated ready for immediate delivery. It is understood that the remainder will be flown to Montreal.

British and French purchases are expected to cover a wide range, including lorries, motor-cycles, clothing, machine tools, explosives, foodstuffs, hospital supplies, searchlights, gasmasks, ambulances, tents, saddles, telephones and pontoons. A debate for three hours before the vote was taken epitomised every argument offered in two months of national discussion. The Administration brought influential speakers, including Messrs Bankhead. Wadsworth, and Rayburn, who said: “The United States is not verging on war and is nowhere near war.” Mr Wadsworth said: “The people of the United States will not go to war unless they are subjected to a studied and persistent series of overt acts of violence, which is not expected." The tenor of all the speeches was the necessity of keeping the United States out of the war, the repealists arguing that the new legislation decreased the danger and the non-repeal-ists urging that the danger was increased by it. Thus Mr Fish argued that repeal would tell the world that the United States was taking sides and actually participating in the war. Repeal was supported by 220 Democrats. 21 Republicans, one Farm Labour member, and one American Labour member, and it was opposed by 36 Democrats, 2 Progressives, and 143 Republicans. , . The United States Neutrality Bill is expected to become law within a few hours, a Daventry report states. Final approval had been given by the Senate. after a joint committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate had agreed to the final draft, which is substantially the same as that recently approved by the Senate. All that remains is for the House of Representatives to vote its approval ana for the President to affix his signature. It is expected that will be effected by tonight or at latest tomorrow morning and the first shipment of arms will then be able to leave. , . Mr E. L. Burgin. British Minister of Supply, said an arsenal of unlimited resources would be placed at the disposal of the Allies if the arms embargo was lifted. COMMENT IN GERMANY OUTRIGHT SUPPORT FOR ALLIES. LONDON. November 3. _ The Berlin correspondent of the British United Press says that a spokesman of the Propaganda Ministry commenting on the arms embargo repeal, said: “This is outright support for Britain and France. It remains to be seen whether Britain can get the stun across.** BILL PASSED SIGNATURE BY PRESIDENT FORTHWITH. A Daventry report states that the revised Neutrality Bill will become law at 5 pan. today. The final text has passed through both Houses of Congress. It is announced that President Roosevelt will sign the measure today, and that a proclamation will be issued lifting the arms embargo. MR ROOSEVELT PLEASED RESTORATION OF HISTORIC POSITION. (Received This Day. 9.40 a.m.) WASHINGTON. November 3. President Roosevelt in a statement said: “1 am very glad that the Bill has restored the historic position of the neutrality of the United States." He indicated that he would issue several implementing proclamations the moment he got the measure for signature today or tomorrow. Answering a variety of questions, Mr Roosevelt said concerning the recall of Herr Steinhardt that he never had believed that bad manners should beget bad manners. The mystery as to why Admiral von Raeder has issued a warning that the Iroquois would be sunk would remain unclarified until the end of the war. Mr Roosevelt expressed doubt as to whether German vessels would take advantage of the safety zone to enter inter-American commerce. ANGER IN GERMANY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES "RITICISED.

bargo. the United States will no longer be neutral,” declared, in English, an announcer on the Berlin radio. Commenting on the procedure whereby a joint committee is ironing out the differences of the Senate and the House of Representatives Bills, he said: “The House is depriving itself of its rights and duties. We want to draw the attention of all well-meaning Americans to this procedure, which might outwit their possible opposition to measures, they will have reason to deplore one day." GREAT ARSENAL AVAILABLE TO ALLIES. BRITISH MINISTER'S COMMENT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) RUGBY. November 3. Since the outbreak of war, the Ministry of Supply had expended something like 110 millions in new commitments, said the Minister of Supply (Mi E. L. Burgin) in a speech. Not a day passed without extensions—either new factories or additions to existing ones. Referring to the lifting by the United States of the arms embargo. Mr Burgin said they must review their own production and see those items of which they were short and indent upon America for them. “I should say we should want machine tools and certain types of raw materials and ultimately some ammunition,” he said. “The Allied Governments are faced with an arsenal of unlimited resources should they wish to place orders with that arsenal." SABOTAGE ATTEMPTS ACTION TAKEN BY JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. EFFECTIVE & COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM. WASHINGTON. November 3. The Attorney-General. Mr L. Murphy, announces that the Justice Department has established an effective and comprehensive system which “minimises the possibility of a large outburst of sabotaging after the repeal of the arms embargo.” It is revealed that sabotage has already occurred in packing placed with, machinery and aeroplane engines. Oil was mixed with it and bonfires started. "There may be considerably more, but at least they will not be blowing up plants right and left as they did twenty years ago,” added the Attorn-ey-General. Anticipating an early ban on American ships entering belligerent ports, the United States lines are rushing the Washington President Roosevelt and American Farmer to sea before noon. All Europe-bound sailings have been advanced as much as five days. Failing to secure wage increases. 5000 longshoremen struck against nine coastwise lines operating seventy ships. The strike is expected to involve 15.000 men on the Atlantic coast.