Evening star., 1937-03-04
NEUTRALITY BILL
{ OPPOSITION SEEN
MCReynoIdS Believes House
Will Support His Own
Measure.
BY the Associated Press.

discretion the President should have
in controlling the export of goods to
warning nations.
He said he believed his committee
would substitute his own neutrality
proposal for the Pittman peace act
of 1887" passed yesterday by the
Senate.
McReynolds' measure would give
the President broader discretion in
placing restrictions on the shipment
of war materials to belligerents
The Pittman measure, approved by
the Senate, 62 to 6, after three days
of heated debate, would:
Prohibit export of munitions to
belligerents.
Allow other goods to be shipped
to warning nations, provided for
eigners held title to them before
they left this country.
Give the President discretion to
say what goods. other than NUM-
tions. could be shipped to bel
ligerents on American ships.
Outlaw American travel on ships
of belligerents. except under rules
laid down by the President.
Ban American buying and SELL
ing of belligerents' bonds or obli-
cations.
Prevent the arming of American
ships trading with belligerents.
The Senate accepted an amendment
proposed by Senator Bone, Demo-
crat, of Washington to withdraw Gov
eminent protection from American
ships carrying goods in violation of
the law.
4. In passing the bill, the Senate
ignored the pleadings and the warn
ings of two men who have led 1t in
the past on matters relating to inter
national NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Borah,
Republican, of Idaho, and johnson,
Republican, of California.
Instead it followed the advice of the
younger men who made up the Mu-
nitions Investigating Committee OF a
year or two ago, and Senator Lee,
Democrat, of Oklahoma, himself a
war veteran. Lee stirred the chamber
yesterday with plea to remember
''those who can't speak to you today
and not to weigh gold against blood. F"
Borah contended the bill would
bring contempt and assault" on the
United States, while johnson called it
o "scuttle and run" policy.
Voting with them against the bill
were Senators Austin, Republican, Of
Vermont; Bridges, Republican, Of New
Hampshire; Gerry, Democrat, of Rhode
Island, and Lodge. Republican, OF
Massachusetts, Senators King, Demo-
crat, of Utah; Copeland, Democrat, of
New York and Gibson, Republican, of
Vermont were paired against the
measure
The closest vote of the day was 44-31
against an amendment by Senator
Borah to make the so-called CASH
and-carry program discretionary with
the President.
A few minutes earlier the Senate
had turned down, 48 to "a. an amend
ment by Senator Vandenberg, Repub-
ucan. of Michigan in the other di-
yection-to remove the discretionary
authority for the President to deter
mine what commodities could be
shipped to belligerents on American
vessels.
In a speech just before the final
vote, Borah said:
AL things may lead to controversy
and war, but no nation, ahead of time,
should indicate its willingness to yield
its rights. The proposal seems to me
to indicate We are headed for nothing
but complete abandonment of our
rights at sea, our right to carry food
stuffs essential to the human family"
A similar plea had come earlier
from johnson. He contended Con-
gress was "abdicating its last and
most important function" the right to
declare war, to the President.
Sees Contempt Of World.
The bill, johnson said, would make
US contemplate before the world"
s"I want peace" he said, but dom t
want peace at the cost of honor. I
might vote for bill of this sort If It
brought peace, but it won't"
Lee replied that both Borah and
johnson were "here" when war was
declared.
Have either of them brought
forward program to try to keep US
out of the next WARP" he asked.
"You can't 60 into the insane asy-
1ums here, filled with those she'll
shocked boys, and then talk property
against life"
Then recalling that he had lost q
"pal' who marched beside him in the
Army, Lee told the Senate he was
talking for those who can't speak to-
day" in urging enactment of the bill.
He said it was 'only getting America
out of the line Of fire."
Appeal Made by Bone.
Another appeal for the law was made
dring the day by Senator Bone, one Of
the old Munitions Committee mem
bers.
People everywhere say war is hell,
but add don't touch our trade" he
added.
international law went into the
ash can during the last war. Why
discuss it?"
Bone said commerce with belligerents
was "as dangerous as gun-running and
dope peddling, as far as the ultimate
moral effect on civilization is con-
cerned."
Senators Capper, Republican, Of
Kansas, and Davis, Republican, Of
Pennsylvania, also spoke for the bill.