Evening star. [volume], September 21, 1939, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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87th YEAR. No. 34,841. —
- THREE CENTS.
END ARMS BAN, PRESIDENT ASKS CONGRESS
Iron Guardists Assassinate
Rumanian Premier Calinescu;
Neutrals Safe, Goebbels Savs
Eight Arrested;
Troops Called
To Prevent Coup
By LLOYD LEHRBAS,
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
BUCHAREST, Sept. 21.—Premier
Armand Calinescu was shot and
killed today by men officially identi
fied as Iron Guardists and troops
were called up at once to precent
a coup.
Eight of the alleged assassins and
accomplices have been arrested. The
troops were called to surround their
cells and public buildings.
The assassination of Calinescu—
known as Rumania's "strong man’
^for his suppression of the outlawed.
pro-Nazi Iron Guard organization—
was attributed to conflicting na
tional interests arising from the
European war.
T * nr. C ,1 n Dllcciotl
troops approached the Rumanian
frontier in their occupation of
Poland. Rumania got one-seventh
of her territory from Russia in
the World War settlement.
Government Convenes.
The Rumanian government con
vened immediately to take necessary
measures to meet the crisis in Ru
•* mania's position in internal and
international affairs resulting from
the killing.
The British-French allies and
Germany were engaged in a bitter
struggle, each side attempting to
influence Rumania's policy to their
advantage. Calinescu had been
IrnnuTi ac on arlvnratp of nnlit.ir.fll
and economic co-operation with
Britain and France.
Rumania's oil, needed by Germany 's
mechanized army and her air force,
was the major prize.
(Some Budapest sources said
they believed a long-expected re
volt of the Iron Guard had come.
The Rumanian Legation in Bel
grade said after vain attempts to
telephone Bucharest that it
looked as if the Iron Guard al
ready was in charge.)
On Way to Royal Palace.
The Premier was driving in his
-*ear on Bucharest's main street, on
his way to the royal palace, when
he was shot. His car was suddenly
blocked, reportedly by three other
machines. The three cars converged’
on that of the Premier while a peas
ant cart blocked the road ahead.
One car drew alongside. Masked
men jumped out and opened fire
with submachine guns. Calinescu
clumped in his seat. Bullets had
riddled his chest and abdomen from
eide to side. He was killed in
stantly. The shots were fired at
2:16 p.m . Bucharest time (7:16 a m.,
E. S. T.i.
While the assassins were carrying
out their assignment another band
of armed, masked men seized the
Bucharest radio station, shooting
and wounding the announcer and
interrupting the scheduled pro
gram. Then one of them announced
that Calinescu had been killed in
a revolt.
Meanwhile, Rumanian authorities
quickly clamped on rigid censor
chip until the facts were established.
(In Budapest the Rumanian
Legation reported that the
Bucharest radio station shut
down at 2:10 p.m„ “after some
minutes of wild, confused shout
ing’’ which could be heard over
the microphone. The legation
said in mid-afternoon it had
been unable to reach the Bucha
rest foreign ministry by tele
phone up to that time.)
Calinescu's campaign against the
Iron Guard came to a head in the
fall of 1938 and .since then police
have announced discovery of a half
dozen “revenge'' plots against him
He became head of the government
March 7, 1939, succeeding the late
Dr. Miron Cristea, patriarch of the
Rumanian church.
On June 17 police said Iron
Guardists planned to assassinate
f^alinpcrn anH Pfina Parnl nritV*
grenades at a race track.
Calinescu was minister of interior
In charge of police on November 30.
1938, when Corneliu Zelea Codreanu,
Iron Guard leader and so-called
“Little Hitler" of Rumania, was shot
dead by guards “while attempting to
escape" during a transfer from one
prison to another, according to the
official version.
14 Aides Also Slain.
Besides Codreanu, his 14 chief
aides also were shot. At that time
there were reports that Iron Guard
Ists had taken an oath to assassinate
Calinescu in revenge.
Despite the frequent reported dis
Page A-37)
President's Mother
Doubts 3d-Term Desire
Bt the Associated Press.
HYDE PARK, N. Y., Sept. 21.—
Mrs. James Roosevelt, mother of the
President, told interviewers today on
her 85th birthday, “I don’t think my
son has the slightest wish” for a
third term.
“He is thinking only about the
war,” Mrs. Roosevelt said. “He is
trying to do all he can for peace.”
Asserting she was in “pretty good
health for an old lady,” the Presi
dent's mother said she would ob
serve the anniversary quietly with
two grandchildren, Sara and Kate,
children of Mr. and Mrs. James
Roosevelt, the only members of the
family at the home here in which
the President was bom.
The President said Tuesday in
Washington the birthday would be
celebrated the first time he could I
get away to Hyde Park. I
* J
PREMIER CALINESCU.
Warsaw Radio Silent
After Shell Explosion
Is Heard
Announcer Describes
Heaviest Firing
Since Siege Began
By the Associated Press.
BUDAPEST. Sept. 21.—The War
saw radio lapsed into sudden silence
early today shortly after what
sounded like the explosion of artil
lery shells could be heard through
its microphone.
The announcer had carried on far
into the night, despite the deep,
periodic rumblings, until the station
suddenly went off the air halfway
through the playing of a Polish
military air.
Temporarily, at least, the only
1 communication between the Ger
man-besieged Polish capital and the
| rest of the world was ended. Silence
came after the station had broad
cast a grim story of Warsaw being
shelled and bombed as never before
and predicted “there probably soon
will be a big offensive against us.”
The rest of Europe, which had
been following the 14-day fight of
Warsaw's defenders through almost
1 ceaseless broadcasts from the sta
tion. was left to speculate on what
: might have happened.
Occupation Is Complete.
Diplomatic and news agency re
ports said German-Soviet Russian
occupation of Poland was virtually
complete and that attention was
shifting to division of Poland's 150,
000 square miles.
These advices envisioned the crea
tion of a buffer state between Ger
many and Russia.
Except for isolated instances of
Polish resistance, such as in War
saw, they said, the only unoccupied
territory appeared to be a thin line
through the center from Grodno di
rectly south to the Bug River, thence
to the Hungarian frontier.
Russian and German motorized
units met at many places in Po
land and dipped flags ceremoniously.
One of these .places was Turka, in
South Central Poland, near the 1
Hungarian frontier. Turka is nearly ;
150 miles airline west of the Pol
ish-Russian border. (
Between the two fast-moving ,
forces great w'aves of refugees and ,
remnants of the Polish armies swept
over the frontiers into Rumania and
Hungary. .
Early today it was estimated some
30.000 Poles had crossed into Hun
gary and the stream of refugees
still was coming.
Broadcasts Amid Shells. }
Warsaw's radio studio is in the i
center of the city. Despite German .
aerial and'artillery bombardment
of that area for almost two weeks,
the station had remained on the air
day and night. It had gone on even
while shells were falling all around
it.
Pour times yesterday the warning
wail of air-raid sirens could be heard
above the calm voice of the an
nouncer and four times the drone
of diving airplanes came over the
air.
The broadcaster said the raids
were conducted by squadrons of 30
German planes. His acocunt of the
siege included another appeal to
Great Britain to help save the bat
tered city.
Before silence again sealed War
saw's fate, the radio reported a suc
cessful attack against a German
force. But it also admitted devas
ujuwo num vjrerman cannon
and warplanes.
Still defiant, Mayor Stefan Star
zinski had appealed to the capital’s
citizens to persevere until a final vic
tory had been won against the Ger
mans and told the outside world the
"morale still is good.”
Tank Attack Repulsed.
Col. Vaclava Lipinski described
the battle in which he said Polish
forces, particularly cavalry, drove
back a German tank attack.
German infantry advanced in
(See BUDAPEST, Page A-10.)
Freight Loadings
Reach 1939 Peak
By the Associated Press.
Freight car loadings reached a
1939 high in the week ended Sep
tember 16.
The Association of American Rail
roads reported today that loadings
of revenue freight in that week
totaled 805,733 cars.
te n
m
Belgium, Holland
Not to Be Invaded,
He Tells Press
%
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Sept. 21.—Propaganda
Minister Paul Joseph Goebbels to
day gave foreign correspondents a
vigorous denial of allegations that
Germany intended to violate the
neutrality of Belgium, the Nether
lands or Luxemburg.
“I am in a position to give a cate
goric, unequivocal and unconditional
denial," said the propaganda minis
ter in his first appearance before
foreign newspapermen since Ger
many started her invasion of Po
land September 1.
“The German government never
had, does not have now nor in
tends in the future to violate the
neutrality either of Belgium or Hol
land."
To a question whether this also
applied to Luxemburg, the t.inv i
duchy at the norther-, end of pres- 1
»nt German-French oattle lines, Dr.
Goebbels replied:
"Yes, you may also Include Luxem
burg "
Answer to Own Propaganda.
Dr Goebbels alluded with a smile
o his presence as evidence he was
leither dead nor captive nor out of
sympathy with Adolf Hitlers war
aims, as some reports alleged.
"I guess you don't need a denial
• bout my person," said the propa
ganda chief. "My answer to British
ying propaganda is mv propaganda,
)f which you have seen evidence in
hese past weeks, I think."
Di. Goebb^lr tailed the propa
ganda of the B.itish ;> nonunion
ninistry "childish and laughable.’
“It does not in the leas: disturb
>ur sovereign fet.ing of security," he
said.
The propaganda minister, who
ooked rather tired, further denied
'completely and unreservedly" all
eports of uprisings in the protecto
ate of Bohemia and Moravia, which
he Reich established last March in
ireaking up Czecho-Slovakia.
"The situation there is absolutely
juiet and satisfactory for our pur
)oses,” he said.
Poland Near Submission.
Meanwhile, the army high com- !
nand reported only four centers of
resistance to Nazi forces remained
:n Poland and Germans expected
they would fall without shelling. I
The command's belief that the re
naining resistance was negligible
already had been indicated by the
departure for the western front of
Dol.-Gen. Walther von Brauchitsch,
tommander of the Germany Army,
:o assume direction of the struggle
against Great Britain and France.
The points still held by Poles, a
nigh command communique said,
included:
Warsaw, besieged capital of
Poland.
Modlin, fortified center, 18
miles northwest of Warsaw.
Gora Kalvarja. on the left
bank of the Vistula, 23 miles
southeast of Warsaw.
On the Hela Peninsula, narrow
finger of land poking out into the
(See BERLINrPage A-i07)
Billy Rose Will Marry
Wss Holm in November
iy the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Sept. 21.—Billy Rose,
he showman, and Eleanor Holm,
wimming star of his Aquacade at
he New York World's Fair, an
lounced today their long-awaited
i'eflding had been set for some time
n the second week of November.
Today was to have been their wed
ling day, but Rose found out it
/ould have been an act of bigamy,
ince Fanny Brice's divorce from
dm does not become final in Cali
ornia until October 27.
Richard Mowrer Sees
Russian Tanks Close
Rumanian Border
Correspondent Tells
Of Wading Rim to
Escape From Poland
Following is Richard Mowrer's
own story, as cabled today, of his
two-day disappearance in the
Polish-Rumanian frontier zone
until his arrival yesterday at
Cernauti. American consular au
thorities had led efforts to secure
his safe return to Rumanian soil.
By RICHARD MOWRER.
Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent.
CERNAUTI, Sept. 21.—I am just
back from a two-day sojourn in
Zaleszczyki where I watched the Red
army occupy the town. I got stuck
there because the Soviets immedi
ately closed the frontier. To get my
story out I was compelled to cross
the border informally, that is to
say, by stripping and wading across
the Dniestr in the night and climb
ing a steep bluff on the Rumanian
side barefoot. I arrived at Cernauti
vesterday after being detained two
and a half hours by Rumanian sol
diers, thus missing the only bus. My
Rtorv follows somewhat in diary
form:
ZALESZCZYKI. Monday — Rus
sia's Red army has occupied this
town. This is no longer Poland,
and Zaleszczyki is now a Soviet
village. At 6:30 o'clock this morning
two big 11-ton Russian tanks ap
peared. One rumbled through the
town as far as the international
bridge. When it came within sight
Df the river, it paused briefly, and
then abruptly skidded around, rip
ping up asphalt, and scooted back
down the road. I remained on the
Polish side—I thought the Ruman
ians would blow up the bridge. They
had mined it the previous day.
Tanks Cross Bridge.
Soon the tank returned with
another tank following and the
two rumbled onto the bridge at 30
miles an hour. They stopped mid
way across when a Rumanian offi
cer waved to them, but then they
lurched forward and went on into
Rumania. Rumanian officials ran
up the hill after them, shouting
excitedly: “Are they Polish? Are
they Polish’ ?
Nobody could answer The tanks
(See MOWRER, Page A-3.)
The War Situation
i . ...
President Roosevelt, addressing
a joint extraordinary session of
Congress, asked repeal of the
arms embargo provisions of the
Neutrality Act, saying they were
“most vitally dangerous to Amer
ican neutrality, American secur
ity and American peace.” Earl
ier Senator Pittman had pre
vented insertion in the Congres
sional Record of Col. Charles A.
Lindbergh’s, recent speech con
cerning the war. (Page A-l.)
Premier Armand Calinescu of
Rumania was assassinated in
Bucharest today by gunmen be
lieved to be pro-Nazi Iron
Guardists, against whom Calin
escu has conducted a campaign
of repression. Eight of the al
leged assassins and their ac
complices have been arrested.
The killing of the Premier raised
fears in Rumania of a poesible
drive by either Russia or Ger
many, whose troops are near Ru
mania's border in Poland. (Page
A-l.)
That the neutral states of Bel
gium, the Netherlands and Lux
emburg are safe from German
invasion was promised by Ger
man ‘Propaganda Minister Paul
Joseph Goebbels in Berlin today
in the first interview he has had
with the foreign press since the
start of the European war.
Earlier, it was stated that Poles
are holding out against German
uuupa ttt umjr iuui puiiiLS.
(Page A-l.)
That the allies will not launch
forth into rash adventures against
the German army on the western
front was indicated today when
British Foreign Secretary Lord
Halifax told the House of Lords
that “we must not undertake
anything that does not directly
contribute to victory in the Euro
pean war.” (Page A-l.)
Action along the western front
during the last few days was
characterized by aerial action in
which British and French air
pilots brought down an undeter
mined number of German planes
in a series of dog fights, it was
reported in military dispatches
to Paris. (Page A-l.)
The last remaining link be
tween Warsaw and the outside
world failed today when the
Polish capital's radio statfbn
lapsed into silence after sounds
like the explosion of artillery
shells was heard through its
microphone. The station went
off the air half-way through the
playing of a Polish military air.
(Page A-l.)
The leaders of Poland’s gov
ernment who have sought refuge
in Rumania from invading Ger
man and Russian troops have
been interned by the ^Bucharest
government along with Marshal
Edward Smigly-Rydz, it was au
thoritatively reported. (Page A-9.)
(Complete Index Page A.-1-)
l t
Text of Presidents Speech \
TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
I have asked the Congress to reassemble In extraordinary session
in order that it may consider and act on the amendmeil* of certain
legislation, which, in my best judgment, so alters the historic foreign
Policy of the United States that it impairs the peaceful relations of the
United States with foreign nations.
At the outset I proceed on the assumption that every member of
the Senate and of the House of Representatives, and every member of the
executive branch of the Government, including the President and his
associates, personally and officially, are equally and without reservation
in favor of such measures as will protect the neutrality, the safety and
the integrity of our country and at the same time keep us out of war.
nunoranir iiesire ior reaoe. •
Because I am wholly willing to
ascribe an honorable desire for peace
to those who hold different views
from my own as to what those
measures should be, I trust that
these gentlemen will be sufficiently
generous to ascribe equally lofty
purposes to those with whom they
disagree. Let no man or group in
any walk of life assume axclusive
protectorate over the future well
being of America—because I con
ceive that regardless of party or
section the mantle of peace arid of
patriotism is wide enough to cover
us all. Let no group assume the ex
clusive label of the peace "bloc." We
all beiong to it.
I have at all times kept the Con- I
gress and the American people in- j
formed of events and trends in
foreign affairs. I now review them
in a spirit of understatement.
Since 1931 the use of force instead
of the council table has constantly
increased in the settlement of dis
putes between nations—except in
the Western Hemisphere where
there has been only one war, now
happily terminated.
Trying to Avoid War.
During these years also the build
ing up of vast armies, navies and
storehouses of war has proceeded
abroad with growing speed and
intensity. But, during these years,
and extending back even to the
davs of the Kelloee-Briand Dact.
the United States has constantly,
consistently and conscientiously done
all in its power to encourage peaceful
settlements, to bring about reduc
tion of armaments and to avert
threatened wars. We have done this
not only because any war anywhere
necessarily hurts American security
and American prosperity, but be
cause of the more important fact
that any war anywhere retards the
progress of morality and religion
and impairs the security of civiliza
tion itself.
For many years the primary pur
pose of our foreign policy has
been that this Nation and this
Government should strive to the
utmost to aid in avoiding war among
others nations. But if and when
war unhappily comes, the Govern
ment and the Nation must exert
svery possible effort to avoid being
irawn into the war.
Executive Branch Did Utmost.
The Executive Branch of the Gov
ernment did its utmost, within our
traditional policy of non-involve
ment. to aid in averting the present
appalling war. Having thus striven
md failed, this Government must
lose no time or effort to keep the
Nation from being drawn into the
war. .
In my candid judgement we shall
succeed in these efforts.
We are proud of the historical
record of the United States and
of all the Americans during all
these years because we have thrown
every ounce of our influence for
peace into the scale of peace.
i note in passing warn you win
ill remember—the long debates on
the subject of what constitutes ag
gression, on the methods of de
termining who the aggressor might
be, and, on who the aggressor in
past wars had been. Academically
this may have been instructive as it
may have been of interest to his
torians to discuss the pros and cons
ind the rights and wrongs of the
World War during the decade that
tollowed it.
But in the light of problems of
today and tomorrow responsibility
tor acts of aggression is not con
cealed, and the writing of the record
can safely be left to future his
torians.
Close to Our Own Shores.
There has been sufficient realism
In the United States to see how
close to our own shores came dan
gerous paths which were being fol
lowed on other continents.
Last January I told the Congress
that “a war which threatened to en
velop the world in flames has been
averted, but it has become increas
ingly clear that peace is not as
sured." By April new tensions had
developed; a new crisis was in the
making. Several nations with whom
we had friendly diplomatic and
commercial relations had lost, or
were in the process of losing, their
independent identity and sov
ereignty.
During the spring and summer the
trend was definitely toward further
acts of military conquest and away
from peace. At late as the end of
July I spoke to members of the Con
gress about the definite possibility of
war. I should have called it the
probability of war.
Last January, also. I spoke to this
Congress of the need for further
warning of new threats of conquest,
military and economic; of challenge
to religion, to democracy and to in
ternational good faith. I said: “An
ordering of society which relegates
religion, democracy and good faith
among nations to the background
can find no place within it for the
ideals of the Prince of Peace. The
United States rejects such an order
ing and retains its ancient faith.”
Know What Might Happen.
“We know what might happen to
us of the United States if the new
philosophies of force were to en
compass the other continents and
invade our own. We, no more than
other nations, can afford to be sur
rounded by the enemies of our faith
and our humanity. Fortunate it is,
th erefore, that in this Western Hem
isphere we have, under a common
ideal of democratic government, a
rich diversity of resources and of
peoples functioning together in mu
tual respect and peace.”
Last January7, in the same mes
augc, i aisu saiu. we nave learnea
that when we deliberately try to
legislate neutrality, our neutrality
laws may operate unevenly and up
fairly—may actually give aid to an
aggressor and deny it to the victim.
The instinct of self-preservation
should warn us that we ought not
to let that happen any more."
It was because of what I foresaw
last January from watching the
trend of foreign affairs and their
probable effect upon us that I rec
ommended to the Congress in July
of this year that changes be en
acted in our neutrality law.
Peace Essentials Unchanged.
The essentials for American peace
in the world have not changed since
January. That is why I ask you
again to re-examine our own legis
lation.
Beginning with the foundation of
our constitutional government in
the year 1789, the American policy
in respect to belligerent nations,
with one notable exception, has
been based on international law.
Be it remembered that what we call
international law has had as its
primary objectives the avoidance of
causes of war and the prevention of
the extension of war.
The single exception was the
policy adopted by this Nation dur
iiojwicuuu; waia, wueu,
seeking to avoid involvement, we
acted for some years under the
so-called Embargo and Non-inter
course Acts. That policy turned out
to be a disastrous failure—first, be
cause it brought our own Nation
close to ruin, and, second, because
It was the major cause of bringing
us into active participation in Euro
pean wars in our own War of 1812.
It is merely reciting history to
recall to you that one of the results
of the policy of embargo and non
intercourse was the burning in 1814
of part of this Capitol in whieh we
are assembled.
The Neutrality Act.
Our next deviation by statute from
the sound-principles of neutrality
and peace through international
law did not come for one hundred
(See TEXT, Page A-SO
► ---
Plan to Keep U. S.
Out of War Given
To Special Session
Lindbergh Radio Speech
Is Barred From Record
As Pittman Objects
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.
President Roosevelt called on Congress today to repeal
the existing embargo against the sale of arms to belligerent
nations.
He called for a return to the traditional policy of leaving
American neutrality to be governed by international law.
He discussed six other objectives which Congress could
also deal with in its consideration of the so-called Neutrality
Act, including the travel of Americans in war zones and the
cash-and-carry” plan for sale and shipment of goods to
belligerent nations.
The Chief Executive, addressing the legislators called into
special session to deal with the neutrality laws, insisted that re
peal of the arms embargo would help to keep this country from '
becoming involved in the European war—not promote our in
volvement.
Neutrality Steps Outlined.
He detailed the steps which he has taken since the outbreak
of the war abroad to proclaim and maintain America’s neutrality
and to build up the national defense.
me President addressed the joint session at 2 p.m., two hours
after Congres met.
Rapped to order before well-filled galleries shortly aft<»r noon,
the House and Senate had quickly passed a resolution authoriz
ing the joint sitting.
An awareness of the seriousness of their mission was apparent
in the manner of the legislators as they gathered and their sharp
alertness to every move which might have a bearing on the com
ing debate resulted in an early clash in the Senate.
Arising as routine organization was being consummated. Sen
ator Tobey, Republican, of New Hampshire precipitated the brief
duel as he asked permission to insert in the record the recent
speech of Col. Charles A. Lindbergh in support of true and absolute
neutrality by this Nation. Sharply, and without explanation Chair
man Pittman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voiced
objection, his action preventing insertion of the material and end
ing the incident for the moment at least.
At the outset of his address, the President declared the principal
objective was to keep this country out of war, v
Speaking directly to those members of Congress who have opposed
repead of the embargo, Mr. Roosevelt expressed the hope thev would
credit him with equally lofty purposes" as he ascribes to them.
Let no man or group in any walk of life assume exclusive pro
tectorate over the future well-being of America—because I can see that,
regardless of party or section, the mantle of peace and of patriotism Is
wide enough to cover us all. Let no group assume exclusive label of the
peace bloc. We all belong to it."
This statement was aimed at the strategy of the anti-repealists, who
have proclaimed themselves the peace party and left it to be supposed that
those who favored repeal constitute a war partv.
---A ‘ . .
Congress Chambers
Resemble College
As Session Opens
Members So Busy With
Handshaking Call
To Order Is Difficult
By BLAIR BOLLES.
The House and Senate chambers
looked like college lecture halls at
the new term's beginning today.
The Representatives and Senators
called back from vacations by the
special session proclamation were
so busy shaking hands with their
colleagues that they found it hard
to come to order at noon, when the
sessions opened.
The House members talked so loud
and made so much noise during tne
first roll call that Speaker Bank
head grew almost beside himself.
The roll-call clerk was still in the
“A’s” when the Speaker banged
his desk with his gravel and cried
out:
“The House will please be in order.
This is the first’* roll call of the
extraordinary session. It is an im
portant occasion. The House will
arcgicta signing ACl.
The President frankly told Con
gress he regretted he had ever signed
the Neutrality Act of 1937.
"It was the so-called Neutrality
Act of 1935—only four years ago—an
act continued in force bv the joint
resolution of May 1, 1937. despite
i grave doubts expressed as to its
| wisdom by many Senators and Rep
! resentatives and by officials charged
with the conduct of our foreign re
lations, including myself. I regret
that the Congress passed that act. I
regret equally that I signed that act.”
The President said he had asked
Congress to take action to change
the Neutrality Act of July 14 "in
the cause of peace and in the in
terests of real American neutrality
and security.”
"I now aek again that such ac
tion be taken in respect to that part
i of the act which is wholly incon
sistent with ancient precepts of the
law of nations—the embargo pro
visions. I ask it because they are. in
my opinion, most vitally dangerous
to American neutrality, American
security- and American peace.”
Explains Embargo Provisions.
The President pointed out that
the embargo provisions merely pre
vent the sale to a belligerent of any
completed implements of war. At
the same time they allow the sale
of many types of uncompleted im
plements of war, as well as all kinds
of general material and supplies. He
said all these products of American
; industry and agriculture may. under
l the existing law. be taken in Amer
i *can flagships to belligerent nations.
I “There in itself—under the pres
please be in order.”
For a few minutes, the members
heeded him.
Waiting for President.
The noon meetings of both the
House and Senate really were in
terim meetings. The members were
waiting with restless expectancy
for i p.m„ and President Roosevelt’s
arrival to deliver what forever will
be an historic address—the request
for the change in the Neutrality
Act.
Not for 21 years had Congress
been in session during a major Eu
ropean war. But it was the third
special session of the Roosevelt ad
ministration. Only two years ago
this November Congress met in
special session. Then the issues
were wholly domestic—crop control
and social security and wage-and
hour legislation.
The President called another spe
cial session a few days after he
entered the White House in 1933.
Then, too, domestic affairs were
the order of the day. Congress met
for the famous “100 days,” during
which it enacted the emergency
legislation on which the New Deal
was built.
Special Police Guard.
Today the issues were different.
But the setting was the same. As
for all great occasions on Capitol
Hill, the Capitol was guarded by
special police cordons.
To Capitol veterans the scenes in
both chambers, characterized by an
atmosphere of extraordinary grav
ity, were reminiscent of the sessions
of 25 years ago. when, as now, the
talk was all of “neutrality” and
“keeping the United States out ol
war.”
The House side of the Capitol
where the President was to appear
l (See COLOR, Page A-3.)
4
vAciiiiitc uuuger 10 our
neutrality and our peace." he said.
Mr. Roosevelt argued for a great
er consistency through repeal of
the embargo provisions and a re
turn to international lav/.
“It has been erroneously said that
i return to that policy might bring
j us nearer to war,” commented the
' Chief Executive. In solemn tones,
he added:
| “I give to you my deep and un
j alterable convictions, based on years
I of experience as a worker in the
j field of international peace, that bv
; the repeal of the embargo the
| United States will more probably
remain at peace than if the law re
mains as it stands today.
“I say this because with the re
peal of the embargo this Govern
ment clearly and definitely will in
sist that American citizens and
American ships keep away from the
immediate perils of the actual zones
of conflict.”
Crux of Neutrality Issue.
After declaring that repeal of
the embargo and return to inter
national law are the crux of the
issue of American neutrality, the
President said “when and if” re
peal of the embargo is accomplished
certain phases of policy reinforcing
American safety should be con
sidered. The only question regard
ing those objectives, he said, relates
to method. The first objective he
referred to was to keep American
merchant vessels from entering dan
ger zones. He opposed fixing war
zones by Act of Congress because of
quick changes after war has begun.
He said he preferred to delimit
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-3.)