Peaceful Embroiling

That the fine record of U. S. seamen has been more dependent on the U. S. flag waving over them than on their own courage and ability startlingly appeared last week when U. S. seamen of the U. S. freighter Oregon slipped off her in San Pedro, Calif. Her owners said the aviation gasoline she carried was destined for Singapore, but she was bound via the Suez Canal and her gallant crew felt they should first consult Secretary of State Cordell Hull. While their walking delegate was doing so, the Oregon's owners offered the crew a 50% bonus plus full war risk insurance for every man if they would hop to their stations and get her going.

Telegraphed Secretary Hull: "IF THE GASOLINE MENTIONED IS IN FACT DESTINED TO AN ITALIAN POSSESSION NO GUARANTEE OF SAFETY OF THE CREW CAN BE GIVEN."

The walking delegate then said that for the crew to accept the owner's bonus would be "too mercenary" and the ship did not sail.

Coining an urbane phrase in which to describe the efforts of British diplomats in Washington and London to draw the Roosevelt Administration into their way of thinking, Sir Gerald Campbell, popular British Consul General in Manhattan, declared: "We should like to embroil the United States in peace." Added Sir Gerald hastily, "not to protect the British Empire, but to save humanity from itself."

Not to protect but to save, last week, Secretary of Interior Harold L. Ickes made nationwide headlines as Petroleum Administrator with a strong appeal that all exports of petroleum to the combatants in Ethiopia be barred. Mr. Ickes crossed his fingers by reminding reporters that he has "no authority at all" to regulate the export of oil.

In more veiled but not less threatening terms the U. S. Shipping Board Bureau of the Department 'of Commerce let "all owners of ships under mortgage to the Government" know that "the carrying of essential war materials ... is distinctly contrary to the policy of the Government." Off the record, New Dealers said that almost every U. S. merchant ship today has a Government mortgage string tied to it in one way or another, added that the President is prepared to jerk the strings.

At Geneva, the League Sanctions Committee had been scheduled this week to add oil to the list of products denied Italy. Abruptly the British, who ostensibly had been driving for this end, joined the French in causing the League to "postpone" any such action. This about-face caught the Roosevelt Administration a neat clip, transferred much Italian resentment from London and Paris to Washington. There II Duce's representatives said with upped eyebrows that the White House seemed to be "outsanctioning the sanctionists," all of whom at latest reports were still selling oil to Italy.

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