Evening star., 1939-10-25

All these polls, moreover, need to
be discounted because Of the heavy
percentage Of absentee members
whose present views have not been
learned. 1t Is just possible that the
torrent Of anti-repeal messages at
the beginning of the debate has
had a greater effect than the ad.
ministration people realize, and pos
sible, too, that another torrent will
descend on the House and sweep q
decisive number of susceptible votes
and there are always plenty Of
votes in the House susceptible to
mass pressure-into the ant-repeal
column.
All the surface indications, how.
ever, point to repeal. Time has not
run in favor Of the isolationist bloc
as 1t did in favor of their prede.
cessors in the famous League Of
Nations contest.
Time Brings "Incidents."
Time in the present instance has
aided the administration. In the
midst of the debate came the Soviet
threat to the integrity OF the pop.
ular northern democracies-Norway,
Sweden and Denmark. It became
then a valid argument for repeal
that the United States would stand
on no moral ground and would
Ill serve the cause of democracy by
withholding arms from these nations
should they be attacked. Again,
the recent seizure by Germany Of
the American freighter City Of Flint
showed plainly the need for prompt
passage of the cash-and-carry pro.
visions which are tied in with arms
embargo repeal. The City of Flint,
out OF New York, was bound for
Liverpool and other English ports.
She would not have been where she
was-in danger zone if the pro-
posed revision of the present neu.
trality laws had been in effect.
The willingness of the Senate
anti-repeal leaders to accept limita.
ton Of debate, as they did yester.
day, is clear evidence Of a realiza.
ton that the country has not become
aroused against the pending bill.
Had there been the swing of senti-
ment they had hoped for, the fglit
which Senator La Toilette, one Of
their number, said would be waged
from hell to breakfast" would GER
tainly not be coming to an end in
its fourth week. In the Borah-
johnson Clark Vandenberg group
there is enough both Of lung power
and brain power to carry on the
battle indefinitely.
Fight on High Plane.
It may be said of these Senators
and the others Of the anti-repeal
group that they are merely yielding
to the inevitable and are entitled to
no credit for doing it now. A fairer
appraisal would give them credit
for having kept their fight, generally
speaking. on high plane and would
commend the no-fllibuster decision
as inspired. at least on the part Of
some Of them, by a desire to do
nothing at this time to bring tho
processes Of democracy into dis.
repute.
Ability Shines Through.
Is that too romantic view Of the
Senate? 1t is easy to be cheaply
smart about the Senate, to hold up
its demagogues as typical, to make
cynical wisecracks about its often
doddering way of doing business.
The Senate at times, Heaven knows,
provokes cynicism; but no one can
watch 1t day after day without get.
ting an impression Of the high level
OF ability of its members and tho
unself1sh streak that is In the great
majority of them along with their
human frailties.
As an organization for transacting
legislative business, the Senate is
always at its best when 1t is operat-
ing with the end Of debate in
sight. Then it really gets down to
cases. High-flown oratory for the
galleries or the record is suspended;
the speeches become short and crisp
and infinitely more effective.
When 1t wants to, the Senate works
as fast as any board Of directors.
The scene then, with the chamber
filled, members alert, questions and
answers popping, Is as different as
could be imagined from the scene
when a member drones through a
prepared speech before a few SOM
nolent colleagues.
Heartening Show.
The Senate yesterday, nearing the
end Of the embargo debate, gave q
performance calculated to inspire
pride on two counts-its ability to
get things done and its non-parti-
sanship in meeting a great problem
IN our foreign relations. Amend.
ments to ease the restrictions origi-
nauy proposed on American shipping
Ito keep the merchant marine from
being driven out Of areas of no or
virtually no danger were put
through with neatness and dispatch,
but with entirely adequate discus
sion. Explanations became simple
and clear, with minimum of ora
torical trimmings. Questions were
asked for the purpose of getting an
answer, and not merely to get the
questioner's name into the record.
1t was q heartening show after some
OF the clap-trap Of earlier sessions.
There were some notable rapid
hre speeches. Senator Taft's, for
example. He may have impressed
Gridiron Club diners last spring as
. bumbling orator. Yesterday, de.
Tending his amendment Qater to be
badly beaten) for keeping American
ships out Of q wide zone of the
whole coast Of Europe, neutral and
belligerent alike, the Senator from
Ohio was clear, concise, resourceful
In answering questions. Borah
spoke ably against the amendment.
White of Maine, another Republican,
also took issue with Taft; discre-
ton to Ak zones Of danger adjacent
to neutral territory, he said, should
be vested In the President. So went
the debate-fast, sharp, non-parti-
san.
VIII the House keep it on the
l same admirable level?