Evening star., 1939-09-15
Neutrality
Continued From First Page.

the Labor Department and other
pertinent employment information
from Federal Works Administrator
John NJ Carmody.
AS the date for opening the spe-
cial session draws near, administra-
ton efforts to swing congressional
majority behind its foreign policy,
presumably in the direction of re-
pealing the arms embargo, appeared
to be promising success.
From Chairman Bloom of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee
there came an announcement that
poll of 63 House Democrats had
shown more than the necessary
number prepared to revise their
positions of last June when they
delivered sufficient votes to retain
a limited but mandatory embargo
provision in the neutrality bill
passed by the House. Only 81 Of
these would be needed to reverse
the vote of 2l4 to 173 on this con-
troversial issue. Representative
Bloom said 80 already indicated
their favor of repeal.
Furthermore. prospects of cutting
party lines to pick up important ad-
ministration support from the Re-
publican side were expected to de-
ve]op out of scheduled White
House conference next Wednesday
between President Roosevelt and
leaders of both the majority and
minority on Capitol Hill. In addi-
ton to Vice President Garner and
other Democratic leaders. the Presi-
dent invited Senators McNary OF
Oregon and Austin of Vermont, Re-
publican leaders in the upper
branch, and Representative Martin
of Massachusetts, House Republican
leader
Seeks to Heal Party Split.
OF vital Importance also will be
the attitude of the Democratic bloc
which broke with the admin!stra-
ton during the last regular session.
On this front. it is recalled that the
President in recent days has made
conciliatory gestures toward three
influential Senate Democrats who
have been pretty much divorced
from New Deal allegiance in the
past months. This trio is comprised
of Senators Harrison of Mississippi.
Glass of Virginia and George Of
Georgia.
According to the Associated Press,
Senator Harrison has declared him.
self backing the President 100 per
cent in his foreign policy dealing
with neutrality" The Mississippian
announced his position after several
telephone conferences with the
White House on the problems of the
special session.
A conciliatory tone on the part of
Senator Glass also was noted after
the appointment of James Elliott
Heath, close friend of the Senator,
as collector of customs at Norfolk.
Later, Senator Glass told the Asso-
ciated Press that naturally 1 would
prefer to be on friendly terms with
the White House.
To Senator George, who cast a
crucial vote with the majority of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
when it pigeon-holed neutrality leg
islation at the last session, the
President recently sent a personal
message of sympathy when the
Georgian underwent an eye opera
ton.
Balancing these portents of in
creased administration strength,
however, have been open warnings
that the, opposition to any change
in the neutrality laws will be volu-
BILE and determined. Senator Borah
left no doubt about his intentions in
last nights radio address, in which
he described repeal of the arms en-
barge as clear intervention" in the
present European conflict.
when we couple repeal with the
announced and declared program of
furnishing arms and munitions to
one side and withholding them from
the other, such a program will un-
questionably constitute interven-
tion," he declared.