Press Release Issued by the Department of State on December 15, 19395

A letter has been addressed by the Department to all persons and companies registered with the Secretary of State pursuant to the provisions of section 12 of the Neutrality Act5a as manufacturers or exporters of the arms, ammunition, and implements of war as defined by the President in his proclamation of May 1, 1937, which fall within the general description of “aircraft, aircraft armament, aircraft engines, aircraft parts, aircraft accessories, aerial bombs or torpedoes” [Page 203] contained in the President’s statement of December 2, 1939, relating to the bombing and machine-gunning of civilian populations from the air. The text of the letter follows:

“There is enclosed a copy of a statement in regard to the bombing and machine-gunning of civilian populations from the air which the President made in his press conference on December 2, 1939.

“In view of the policy to which the President referred, the Department hopes that it will not receive any application for a license to authorize the exportation, direct or indirect, of any aircraft, aircraft armament, aircraft engines, aircraft parts, aircraft accessories, aerial bombs or torpedoes to countries the armed forces of which are engaged in such bombing or machine-gunning.

“Should any manufacturer or exporter have already entered into contractual obligations, of which he finds it impossible to divest himself, to sell or export airplanes or aeronautical equipment, for which licenses have been issued or for which he has heretofore intended to apply for licenses, to countries referred to above, it is suggested that he may wish to inform the Department of the terms of the contract before applying for licenses to export pursuant to it or before exporting under licenses already issued.

“Your attention is invited to the fact that the President’s statement refers not only to aircraft and those aircraft parts for which an export license is required but also to aeronautical equipment of all kinds and to materials essential to airplane manufacture.”

In view of the fact that the President’s statement mentioned above refers to “materials essential to airplane manufacture,” a letter has been addressed by the Department to all producers of molybdenum and aluminum as follows:

“There is enclosed a copy of a statement in regard to the bombing and machine-gunning of civilian populations from the air which the President made in his press conference on December 2, 1939.

“I invite your particular attention to the phrase ‘materials essential to airplane manufacture’ in this statement. Molybdenum and aluminum are included among such materials.

“Should any manufacturer or exporter have already entered into contractual obligations, of which he finds it impossible to divest himself, to sell or export molybdenum or aluminum to countries the armed forces of which are engaged in unprovoked bombing and machine-gunning of civilian populations from the air, he may wish to inform the Department of the terms of his contract.”

  1. Reprinted from Department of State, Bulletin, December 16, 1939 (vol. i, No. 25), p. 685.
  2. Act approved November 4, 1939; 54 Stat. 4, 10.