Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-03-12
NEUTRALITY BILL
DEBATE IS BEGUN
Discretionary Powers for
President in Foreign Wars
House Issue.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
As par clouds pile up ouer Eu-
rope, congressional forces hare be-
come increasingly DESTROYS OF ,CedD-
ing into lars OF the United States
some guarantee against our becom-
ing unnecessarily inuolDed in
troubles OF other nations.
During past Congress, temporary
legislation aimed at this Objective
1Das approved. This year, legisla-
ton designed to be permanent ,Das
placed on calendar OF things to be
done, NTH first accomplishment
being Senate approval OF so-called
cdsh-and- carry bill of Senator
Pittnan.
Pending in House is bill giving
greater degree OF discretion to
President.
A permanent neutrality bill started
through the House today amid a
brlstllng discussion of whether the
President should have broad discre-
tionary powers in f,atters relating to
foreign wars.
Without a record vote the House
adopted a resolution permitting 10
hours debate on the neutrality meas
ure.
First however, it listened to the
chairman of its Rules Committee,
O'Connor, Democrat, of New York,
raise question of whether the bill
might not involve America in conflict
instead of keeping it free of embroI-
ment
Criticism of Mayor La Guardia of
New York and American womanhood
IN German newspapers was injected
into the debate by Representative
Rogers. Republican, of Massachusetts,.
Quoting from newspaper accounts
OF statements in the press regarding
recent meeting addressed by the New
York mayor, Mrs Rogers said:
L have taken this opportunity be-
cause so few people in the United
States realize what the German press
is saying about American woman
mood l am not rafting
any saberS, but I do know that the
manhood of the United States bitterly
resents the attitude of the Germany
government"
Conviction of People.
Representative KnutSon, Republic
an, of Minnesota, one of the few re-
naming members who voted against
Americas entry into the World War in
1917, arose to protest what he termed
convection of a great people at an
eX parte hearing"
L don't think we should take cog
nizance of all these old women's tales
that come to us from across the sea "
he asserted.
The House bill retains virtually in
tact provisions of the temporary act,
which expires May /, forbidding loans,
credits and exports of arms and am
munitions to fighting countries.
1t also would permit application of
Americas neutrality program to for
eign civil wars which might spread to
other countries.
The bill would place trade in articles
that might be used for war purposes
on cash and carry basis.
American vessels could not carry
such materials. Their shipment on
foreign vessels would be forbidden I'M
til title to them had passed out of
American hands.
These prohibitions would be imposed
under such limitations and exceptions
as the President may prescribe"
That language is absent from the
Senate bill. Chairman McReynolds of
the Foreign Affairs Committee con-
tends it is necessary so as not to stran-
gle American trade when there is no
possibility its continuation might drag
the Nation into war.
Without it, he says, the restriction
would apply to traffic with Canada on
tn Great Lakes if the Dominion we're
allied with Great Britain in a war.