Evening star., 1939-10-15
Neutrality Debates Lack of Fire
Bellies Its Deadly Seriousness
Appeal to Mass Emotion Is Withheld by Fact
Result Is Known, Like Play With
Foregone Denouement
By Richard L. Stokes.

CaSlOndl jerk Oh Clc IcdQ 70 btIeoo .
point.
The attitudes Of his listeners were re-
vealing. Senator James j. Davis, Re-
publican, of Pennsylvania moved across
to the Democratic side and sat directly
under Clark, gazing upward with wor-
shipful expression. But after few min
utes Of this flattering attention, he quiet
ly arose and stole out Of the chamber.
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, jr., improved
the occasion to sign a great stack Of cor
respondence, and then read the Con-
gressional Record. Senator Borah ran
through a pile Of newspaper clippings,
marking passages with q pencil.
Statesmen at Work.
Senator John H. Bankhead Of Ala
bama perused a magazine, and Senator
George buried himself in a newspaper.
Senator Truman of Missouri chatted in
turn with Representatives John j. Coch-
ran and Orville Zimmerman, both from
Missouri, and who wandered in from the
House. Senator Sherman Minton of IN
diana endlessly polished his glasses. Sem
ator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, latecomer,
dashed over to divan against the wall
for a long and smiling conversation with
former Senator James E. Watson of In
diana.
Absorbed In thought, with fngers on
brow, cheek or chin, sat Senators Bur-
ton K. Wheeler of Montana, Carl A.
Hatch Of New Mexico and Kenneth Nc.
Kellar Of Tennessee. Senator John H.
Overton Of Louisiana, one of Senator
Clark's few Democratic allies in the neu-
trality fight, lifted frequent hand to
conceal his yawns. Senator Key Pitt.
man Of Nevada, chairman Of the Foreign
Relations Committee and leader Of the
administration forces in the debate,
pored over stack Of reference books.
There was constant motion on the
floor of Senators changing from one
seat to another and strolling in and out
OF the chamber, with so much conversa-
ton that more than once a point of order
was made that there was no order. The
public galleries were quiet and undemon-
strative, with an air of patience rather
than interest. But there were long rows
OF standees. The press gallery was al
most deserted, save for news associa-
ton reporters. Dozens of correspondents,
who had been supplied with copies Of
Senator Clark's speech in advance, talked
shop and smoked in the press room be-
hind the gallery.
AS lunch hour approached. one was re.
minded of Haydn's Farewell symphony,
in which the orchestra players one bS
one turn out the lamps on their desks
and depart. One after another, the Sen
ators unobtrusively disappeared. until
only handful were left. Now and then
Senator Clark showed signs Of fatigue
or distress, whereupon Senator Sheridan
Downey Of California, assuming the role
OF good samaritan, made point of order
OF no quorum and demanded roll call.
This enabled the speaker, without los
ing his turn, to sit down and rest. or even
to vanish for several minutes into the
cloakroom
A Little Life Later On.
As the afternoon wore on, the floor
again gradually filed, not only with SEN
ators but with Representatives, released
by the usual daily adjournment of the
House. Visible among a score or 50
others were Representative Sol Bloom of
New York, chairman of the House For
eign Affairs Committee, and Represent
atiev Jessie Sumner, Republican, of n
linois, known as "the belle of the House.
There were one or two flashes of ami
nation. Senator Burke once interrupted
to say that his mind was "in very grave
and open doubt" of the correctness of
Clarks assertion that the War Depart
ment is planning to appoint and train
local draft boards That, I have OBJ
served. is usually the condition of the
Senator from Nebraska" retorted Sena-
tor Clark swiftly, and there was a ripple
Of laughter. And at the end, having
finished with his manuscript, the speaker
advanced from his place, raised his voice,
and launched into the gestures and ac-
cents of unprecedented speech. II will
never, never, never vote" he exclaimed
dramatically, ito send American boys
abroad to die in other peoples quarrels!"
Then half dozen of Senator Clark's
supporters in the debate went over to
shake his hand and murmur congratu-
lations. The speech had been one of
the most powerful of his career, but no
administration Senator took the trouble
to answer his indictment. It had prob
ably changed not single vote. Most
OF the Senators had made up their
minds before the debate started two
weeks ago.
The apparent lack of excitement re-
garding Senator Clark's address on the
part OF his colleagues was not. nor was
intended to be, any reflection upon the
Missourian, for whose intellectual at
tainments and sincerity they have the
deepest respect The scene has been
described merely as a characteristic in
stance Of the doldrums into which the
neutrality debate has fallen. The pic
ture was repeated the next day, when
Senator William J. Bulow of South
Dakota read an inaudible address, and
Senator Robert M. La Toilette, IT., of
Wisconsin labored doggedly through q
written speech that would fill two news
paper pages. And so, to all present ap-
pearance, the proceedings will continue.
until such time as they are brought. to
end by vote which win be little more
than q formality.
Hitler Oufnuessee