Evening star., 1939-09-26
By JOHN C, HENRY.

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BY JOHN c. HENRY.
Six cabinet officers charged with
front-line responsibility in MAIN
tanning our neutrality and our peace
were summoned to the White House
today for an extra cabinet confer
ence with President Roosevelt.
Those called to the meeting,
scheduled for 2 pm. were Secretary
of State Hull, Secretary of War
Woodring, Acting Secretary of Navy
Edison, Secretary of Agriculture
Wallace, Secretary of Labor Perkins
and Attorney General Murphy.
Purpose of the conference, it was
explained by White House Secretary
Stephen Early was to review and
check the extraordinary duties i'm.
posed on them in the direct inter-
ests of maintaining neutrality.
Mentioned specifically was the At.
lantic Coast patrol, directed jointly
by the Navy and Treasury DEPART
ments. The other departments rep
resented have been vested with
equally implicit duties.
Other Conferences.
Prior to seeing this select group
of cabinet officers, the President
scheduled conferences with Sen.
ators Hayden of Arizona and Ma.
loney of Connecticut. Democrats,
and with Representative Scrugham
OF Nevada, chairman of the Demo-
cratic Steering Committee in the
House. Admiral Harold Stark, chief
Of Naval Operations, also was to see
the President today and Secretary
Of Interior Ickes was to lunch with
Mr.. Roosevelt.
Norman Davis, chairman of the
American Red Cross, and Marc
Peter, Minister of Switzerland, com.
pleted the appointment list for the
day.
After his conference, Senator
Hayden told reporters he is satisfied
with the bill of neutrality law
amendments as tentatively drafted
by a majority bloc of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. He
predicted its enactment would be
obtained without a fihbuster or any
undue delay on the part of the op.
| position.
Senator Maloney said he had dis
cussed the neutrality legislation
with the President, but is still un-
dicided what position to take when
a vote is called.
Silent on Submarines.
A question as to whether any
more foreign submarines had been
spotted In American waters brought
a cryptic reply today from Mr.. Early
to the effect that he didn't wish
to talk about them Last Friday
Mr.. Roosevelt told his press con-
ference two such submarines had
been sighted, one off the Alaskan
coast and another off New England.
Meanwhile, as the Chief Executive
continued his close contact both
with those who are to determine
any changes in our neutrality laws
and with those who are now ap-
plying, our neutrality preparations.
the so-called Strategy COMMITTEES"
OF the Senate opposition met for
further consideration of its plans.
Included in this group, by whom
detailed study of the new bill is
under way, are Senators Borah,
Republican, of Idaho, Johnson, Re.
publican, of California, Vanden-
berg. Republican. of Michigan, La
Toilette, Progressive, of Wisconsin,
Clark, Democrat, of Missouri and
Nye, Republican, of North Dakota.
Ask Extreme Discretion.
With the balance of power, pro
and con repeal of the embargo,
held by an unorganized Senate
group not yet committed to either
opinion, it was reported authori-
tatively today that the White House
and the State Department have
been advised by majority leaders to
exercise extreme discretion in at
tempting, to exert influence or pres
sure in the coming fight.
Those in charge of the legislation,
it was learned, have argued they
would have a better chance of OBJ
tanning its enactment if there was
no attempt by the executive branch
to influence Congress.
This is in line with the position
taken by the President, who
said last Thursday that Congress
should make its own choice of the
method of safeguarding American
neutrality.
Some administration officials were
said to have volunteered their serv-
ices as speakers in behalf of the
Presidents recommendations for
wiping out the present arms en-
barge and setting up new restric-
tions over American commerce and
shipping.
Change in Views Feared.
Several Democrats who have op-
posed the administration on do
mestic issues - including Senator
George, Democrat, of Georgia
are supporting the new measure,
however, and leaders we're said to
feel that some of this support might
be alienated if administration ON
cials assume an active role in the
forthcoming Senate battle.
Qualified approval of administra-
tion wishes also was reported from
Senator Smith of South Carolina
another of the so-called conservative
(see NEUTRALITY, Page A-4)
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