conflict. He declared that the United States was acting on its own initiative with respect to the war and that its actions had preceded those of other govern¬ments. He said that the major policy of the United States was to keep from becoming involved in war; that, however, this Government was 'keeping thoroughly alive its definite conviction' that it had an obliga¬tion to contribute to the cause of peace in every practical way consistent with this policy. "Secretary Hull, in a radio address on November 6, 1935> stated the position of the United States on the general subject of peace. He conceived it to be our duty and in the interests of our country and of humanity not only to remain aloof from disputes and conflicts with which we had no direct eoncern, but also to use our influence in any appropriate way to bring about the peaceful settlement of international differences. He said that our own interests and our duty as a great power forbade that we sit idly by and watch the develop¬ment of hostilities with a feeling of self-sufficiency and complacency when by the use of our influence, short of becoming involved in the dispute, we might 'prevent or lessen the scourge of war.1 "During this period there was an increase in the export from the United States to Italy of war materials which did not come within the category of 'arms, am¬munition, and implements of war.' There was no statutory