Evening star., 1939-10-03
The Political Mill
Tobey Asks Quick Gosh Garry Provision on All
6ellieerent- Bound Goods to Sove U. S. Ships

all kinds Of goods would cut the
ground from under one argument
which has been advanced by those
favoring quick action on the whole
administration neutrality bill. Fur
thermore, the Tobey plan will give
to those who support the cash-and-
carry plan as well as the arms en-
barge an excellent opportunity to
prove this to the country. Sup
porters of the arms embargo repeal
have tried to convey the impression
that the cash-and-carry plan Is a
substitute for the present arms en-
barge, whereas, in reality, it may be
merely complementary to the en-
barge. Indeed, it was just that until
the original cash-and-carry pro-
vision OF the neutrality laws expired
by limitation on May l last.
Supporters of the arms embargo
repeal counter Senator Tobey's pro-
posal for quick and separate action
on the cash and carry plan by say
Ing. why not have speedy action on
the whole measure, including the
embargo? All the while, however, it
Is evident from practical point of
view that speedy action is not going
to be had on the embargo repeal.
The opening day of the Senate
debate on neutrality produced just
two speakers-Senator Pittman, who
Is chairman Of the Foreign Relations
Committee in charge of the bill,
made the first statement in support
OF the measure, and Senator Borah,
ranking Republican member Of the
committee, opposing the embargo
repeal. Senator Tom Connaily Of
Texas, slated to be the third speaker,
was not ready to go on when Borah
finished at 3:45 pm, nor was he
willing that Senator Tobey should
take the floor and outline to the
Senate his proposal for dividing up
the neutrality bill. So the Senate
adjourned.
Delay Seen as Dangerous.
The tremendous interest with
which the first days debate was
followed Is indicative of the fact that
this is going to be no brief affair in
the Senate. And yet, as Senator
Tobey argues, every day that adop-
ton Of the full cash and carry plan
Is delayed, SO much more danger of
the country's becoming involved in
the war.
Calling upon a radio address de-
livered by Senator Pittman in
support of the neutrality bill-in
the National Radio Forum-Senator
Tobey bolstered his argument for
quick action on the cash-and-carry.
For, said Senator Pittman, between
March IL and April 2, 1917, when
President Wilson asked for the dec
laration of war, six of our American
merchant vessels were sunk with the
loss of lives Of SO of our American
seamen." Senator Tobey's conten-
tion is that just such a thing might
happen again in the next three
weeks.
1t is true that so far no American
merchant vessels have suffered from
German submarines. But how long
will that situation last? Some say, |
until after the Senate has voted on |
the repeal of the arms embargo. |
This may or may not be true-par-
ticularly If the vote Is long delayed. |
But suppose the Senate acts on the
embargo and repeals it--there will |
be hiatus before the new Neutrality |
Act becomes law. The House must |
act and the bill must be sent to the
President for his approval. It may
be a day or a week before the bill |
finally becomes law. In that inter-
val. what is to prevent the sinking
OF American merchant vessels carry
ing steel. oil and other commodities
to the allied nations?
Tobey Awaits Chance.
Senator Tobey is anxious to make
his proposal to the Senate imme-
He was debarred by the
attitude of Senator Connally yester-
day, and it looks as though he would
not have chance until the Texas
Senator yields the floor. At any
rate, he plans to submit a mo-
ton to separate the cash-and-carry
from the rest of the neu-
trality bill and put it to a quick vote.
Such motion, of course, is debat-
able. It might be held before the
Senate for several weeks, If oppo-
nents of such a course wished to
DO so, or, if the opponents believed
hey could defeat it out of hand, it
might be voted upon without lossy
If time.