Evening star., 1937-12-28
ACTS
INVOKING PUSHED
Mandatory Bloc to Resume
Campaign In Coming
Congress Session.
BY tho Associated Press.


Leaders of the congressional "man-
datory neutrality" bloc said today
they would resume their campaign in
the coming session of Congress for
invocation Of the neutrality law In
the Sino-Japanese conflict.
Senator Nye. Republican, Of North
Dakota, said final settlement Of the
Panay bombing had cleared the way
for him and some other Senators to
voice their objections to continuance
Of the administration policy of not
placing an embargo on war materials
to the Far Eastern belligerents.
Ludlow Backing Expected.
Senator Nye said he expected strong
support In the Senate for the Ludlow
constitutional amendment, which
would require popular vote before
Congress could declare an offensive
war.
Some proponents Of the amendment
contended q congressional vote on
tie measure at this time would have
no bearing whatever" on the United
States foreign policy.
Twenty-three Of the 218 House men,
bers who forced consideration of the
proposal said in a statement that 4
vote would net ''imply any criticism
OF any Of our officials who are handling
our foreign affairs"
No Bearing on Policy.
1.-THE fact" they said, that the
| resolution. If passed by Congress, could
not possibly be ratified by three
| fourths OF the State Legislatures un-
til 1899 or 1910 should make it clear
that a vote in Congress at this time
| could not have any bearing whatever
on our present national policy, nor
does 1t imply any criticism Of any of
our onicials who are handling our
foreign affairs.
THE resolution was conceived In
| entire good faith. at a time when
there were no war clouds in sight. The
spirit of American fair play entities
it to consideration in an unprejudiced
atmosphere and to vote on its
merit"
Representative Ludlow proposed the
referendum first in February, 1885.
Among the signers of todays state
ment were Mr. Ludlow and Repre-
sentatives Randolph, Democrat, of
West Virginia: Crosser, Democrat, of
Ohio; Boileau, Progressive, of Wis
consin; Voorhis, Democrat, of Califor-
mia, and Fish, Republican, of New
York.
The Senate neutrality bloc, however,
has divided on this issue. Senator
Vandenberg, Republican, of Michigan
strongly opposes the war referendum
proposal, but Senator's Clark, Demo-
crat, of Missouri La Toilette, Pro-
gressive. of Wisconsin; Capper, Re-
publican, of Kansas, and Nye. all
members OF the bloc, have introduced
proposals similar to Mr.. Ludlow's.
Senator Capper said he believed the
sinking of the United States gun
boat Panay had retarded somewhat
the sentiment for the Ludlow amend
ment.
Wheeler 10 Back Proposal.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of Mon
tana said he had encountered no such
reaction. He declared he would sup
port the proposal actively if it re-
ceives the necessary two-thirds ma
jority in the House and is sent to the
Senate. Administration leaders are
fighting its adoption.
Mr.. Capper said he believed little
could be accomplished in attempting
to convince Mr.. Roosevelt that he
should invoke the Neutrality Act,
which permits munitions embargo
when the President proclaims ex-
istence of state of war.
Mr.. Nye declared he had abandoned
the idea of accompanying other mem
bers of the neutrality bloc to the
White House to ask Mr.. Roosevelt
why the act should not be invoked.