Evening star., 1939-02-11

Panama Canal ks 81 (
In particular, is n,v;a 1,vr.n,.
a display of ma
4 tional unity which will have far
! reaching effects abroad, and especi-
ally in Latin America.
The Republicans under the leader
ship of Representative James Wads-
worth of New York, have issued
formal statement of defense policy
which is splendidly expressed. 1t
will be recalled that Mr.. WadsWorth
has the distinction of having served
in the United States Senate, where
he was the ranking member OF his
party in the Military Affairs Com
mittee. and is, therefore familiar
with national defense problems.
The comment of Representative
Bruce Barton, Republican, of New
York on what the conference OF
members of his party did is signifi-
cant. He said:
You will find the Republican
members of the House voting, not
according to partisanship, personal
prejudice or sectional interest, but
according to the sober dictates of
patriotic responsibility. Our
purpose Is not to hamper any sound
measure of foreign policy, but only
to make sure that Americas in
ternational affairs are conducted
In the OPEN"
This last point now has been COW
cred by the insistence of Senator
Austin, Republican, and Senator
Clark of Missouri Democrat. that
except for real military secrets, the
proceedings of the Senate Military
Affairs Committee shall be made
available to the public.
Sets Reports at Rest.
The formal expression of Repub-
lican policy is notable because 1t
sets at rest the inferenceS which
we're being drawn fortnight ago as
to partisanship with respect to the
criticisms of foreign policy. The
incident of the sale of airplanes to
France provoked widespread COM
ment mostly because of the secrecy
with which it was handled. Like
wise. the discussion of foreign policy
between the President and the men,
bers Of the Senate Military Affairs
| Committee led to unfortunate re-
percussions. The true story of that
episode is that the President never
Initiated the conference. 1t grew
out of conversation between Sem
stor Sheppard, Democrat, and the
. President, wherein the Texas Sem
etor suggested he would like to
bring his committee to the White
House to hear the Presidents views
Another important fact is that
everything the President said about
foreign policy and American pur-
poses has been said again and
again by the Secretary of State,
Cordell Hull. 1t is interesting to
note that Mr.. Hull has the respect
of both political parties and is held
in high esteem in Congress, where
he was member of the Senate for
many years. His sincerity is not
questioned 1t is he who has laid
the basis for the policy enunciated
by the President of sympathy with
the democracies as opposed to the
totalitarian states. /
Until the incident of the French
eirplane purchase, however. it is
possible that public opinion may
not have been alert to the implica-
tions of the broad policies. and was
awakened to the direct relationship
between America and the European
situation through the actual assist
ance given France in accelerating
her purchases for cash of American
airplanes.
Peace Brought Nearer.
Whatever may have been the criti-
cisms of this episode on Capitol Hill,
1t Is also a fact that high Army
officials who follow minutely devel-
opments abroad say that peace is
much more likely now in Europe
than war, and they attribute this
favorable change to the fact that
the United States has openly ex-
pressed through the sale of air.
planes to France readiness to eX-
port necessary war supplies when
bought by the democracies The be-
lief that war is not so likely is being
concurred in by prominent members
Of Congress.
The events of this week, therefore,
may be said to have cleared the air
considerably. The Republicans agree
with the Democrats on the impor-
tance of maintaining the Monroe
Doctrine. This means they sub
scribe to the efforts made at Lima
to cement Pan-American unity. IN
which former Gov Landon, Repub-
lican nominee for the presidency in
1896, played conspicuous part.
The Republicans have their doubts
about fortifying Guam, but this IS
not yet an administration policy
even though arrangements to inl-
prove the harbor there are being
recommended. 1t is believed this is
point of fleXibility with the ad-
ministration and relates to possible
negotiations with Japan.
With Republicans and Democrats
In agreement on what is needed for
national defense, and general un-
derstanding by both parties as to
the Importance of avoiding undue
secrecy, and the realization that
Secretary Hull is the man who is
really developing American foreign
policy, there will be less occasion in
the future for the charges banded
about recently that there existed
here war party" or groups seeking
to involve America in war for politi-
cal reasons related to the 1910 CAM