Evening star., 1939-02-03

negative when reporter asked
whether the frontier catch phase
summed up the actual situation.
He also replied negatively wher
asked whether some one in the COM
mittee conference with him hac
made such a remark to him.
Asked about a report that he haC
discussed with members of the House
Appropriations Subcommittee yester-
day the possibility of an attack on
the Panama Canal. the President
said that was a double "if" question
Representative drafting the
Armys bill conferred with Mr.
Roosevelt yesterday
Asked about another report that
insurgent Gen Franco was suing the
United States for $11 ,00O, 900 worth OF
silver purchased from Loyalist
government Spain, the President
said that was front page news last
year and there was nothing new
in 1t.
Questioned on his proposed trip
to the Caribbean to witness the
Navy's feet maneuvers, the Presi-
dent said he had not made up his
mind definitely on that. If he did
go, he said, he did not believe
Guantanamo Bay would be on his
itinerary.
Mr.. Roosevelt added that he had
no personal knowledge that survey
was being made to determine pros
poets for selling planes to South
America.
One reporter said airplane pro-
ducers were being prosecuted in
New York for selling planes to b.
livia and asked Mr.. Roosevelt about
it. The President said this had nc
relation to the reported survey. He
added that there was a definite Law
against sending planes to Bolivia
and Paraguay while they were at
war and the Government was charg-
ing violation of that law.
What connection could that have
with any sale of planes to South
America today, the President asked
adding that there was no war there
He said, however. he had not heard
Of any plane sales or prospective
sales to South America.
Asked whether any change was
contemplated in the silver purchase
program in view Of the foreign sit
uation, the President said he knew
Of none.
Proposal Before Committee.
Four proposals were before the
Senate Military Committee today Al
follows:
Senator Clark, Democrat, Of Mis-
souri,: A proposal that all past and
future testimony on the sale of air
planes to foreign governments be
made public.
Senator Logan, Democrat, of Ken
tucky: That the committee con-
tinue to hold executive sessions and
that testimony given before 1t ir7
the past not be disclosed.
Senator Austin, Republican. OF
Vermont: That the committee holo
public hearings in the future, going
into executive session only wher
testimony involving military secrets
was involved.
Senator Holman, Republican, o1
Oregon: That public hearings be
held except when military expert:
were testifying relative to nationa
defense plans and operations
which it would be indiscreet te
divulge."
After the heated session, Senator
Clark said 1t appeared to be the
consensus that the committee woulo
wait until all Of its past testimony
had been examined by the witnesse.
who gave it and had been returned
to the committee for further exami.
nation before it acted.
Before the press conference, Mr.
Roosevelt's reported determination
to aid European democracies revived
talk on Capitol Hill that the ad'
ministration soon might try to mod.
ify or repeal the Neutrality Act.
The subject was discussed in.
formally by influential Congressmer
as the Senate Military Committee
meeting in a closed session debated
whether to make public the RECORD
of its inquiry into the projected sale
of American-made warplanes tt
France.
Senator Clark, Democrat, of Mis-.
souri,, appeared to have the support
of a majority of the committeemer
in his demand for disclosing all tes.
timony which involved no military
secrets.
Because the Neutrality Act pro