NEWS OF THE WEEK HE ' Pink Star,' sunk between
Greenland and Iceland when sailing in a convoy escorted by Canadian warships, was an erican-owned vessel under Panama registry. She carried a , as she could not have done if she had been under United ates registry. The Neutrality Act forbids American mer- t vessels to carry any but the small arms necessary to pre- rve discipline on board, and therefore it stands in the way the President's determination to arm American merchant ps as a necessary measure of defence. Hence his announce- ent on Tuesday that he intends to ask Congress to alter the 'eutrality Act. But will this be all? The President is deter- ed to use the American Navy to protect the sea-lanes of e Atlantic, even if it means shooting raiders at sight, and he - announced that with or without Congress he will take the ecessary measures to equip merchant-ships for self-defence. at in asking Congress to modify the Neutrality Act, is he repared to go one step further in pursuance of the policy of d to the Allies to which he is committed—will he, that is, it to remove the vital clause which forbids American vessels carry passengers or goods to belligerent countries? On this bject, as often, his colleagues have exercised their freedom to a little ahead of him. The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell all, stated on Monday that he thought the time had come to 'ft the restrictions of the Neutrality Act, and Colonel Knox, e Secretary of the Navy, said in his forthright way on Tiles- ay that it was time they were " through playing with the utrality Law," which was no longer an asset• but a liability. e nice formalities of the law interpose many - self-imposed bstacles to the American will to help the democracies, but one y one they are being readjusted to. realities..
