COMING TO A HEAD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1939, Page 5

COMING TO A HEAD

QUESTION OF WESTERN NEUTRALITY ZONE ACTION BY AMERICAN REPUBLICS. COMPLAINT OF REPEATED VIOLATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WASHINGTON. December 21. A .joint (l(‘claratioii accusing lite European belligerents of repeatedly violating lhe Western Hemisphere neutrality zone and issuing a warning against future violations is being prepared by 21 Republics in joint diplomatic consultation. The President of Panama will communicate the declaration, which will contain a clear-cut indication that the American Republics will be forced in future to take more than diplomatic action to see that the zone is respected. The declaration also states that the Republics are further consulting on a common policy regarding belligerent warships entering their ports. The Stale Department sent a circular communication to the Latin American nations concerning the declaration and obtaining their views, though it is understood that the United States did not initiate the declaration. The Secretary of State. Mr Cordell Hull, at a Press conference expressed the opinion that the steps the .American Republics were taking would bring the matter of the neutrality zone to a head.

The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times" says that, supplementing tile joint Pan-American protests to Britain. France, and Germany. the United States is almost certain to send a strong Note to Germany requesting a reply to the recent Note which advised the establishment of the neutrality belt and demanding its observance". Britain and France replied to the Note favourably, conditionally on what Germany might do, but Germany. despite informal promptings, has not replied. If the approach fails, the cutting off of supplies to vessels ol nations ignoring the belt is likely tobe discussed.