Evening star., 1939-02-06
Foreign Policy Fight
Is Called ATTEMPT
To Hurt President
Norris and Pittmun
View Criticism as
Mainly Political
BACKGROUND

ties With France and England
or did he merely reuiew the
,oorld's state of affairs? The
President and some Senators dis
agree on iphat was said. This has
intensified national defense issue.
BY the Associated Press.
Senators Pittman, Democrat, OF
Nevada and Norris, independent, Of
Nebraska asserted today that Presi-
dent Roosevelt's adversaries are try
ing to injure him politically by de-
riding his handling of foreign policy.
The two men, both administration
supporters, expressed this opinion
as the Senate awaited thorough
airing of Mr.. Roosevelt's latest
enunciation of his stand on inter-
national problems.
Senator Norris said the Presidents
opponents will do anything to hurt
him."
They are thinking mostly about
1910" the Senator declared. "They
want to keep Roosevelt or any one
favorable to him from being nomi-
mated for the presidency. 1t is a
very dangerous thing"
Senator Pittman, chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Commit
tee, told reporters that controversy
over the country's foreign policy is
political.
G. o. P. Building Up Case"
Criticism of Mr.. Roosevelt's direc-
ton Of foreign affairs by Republican
legislators, he said, indicated that
the Republican party was seeking
to build up case against the Presi-
dent for the next campaign.
Senator Pittman commended the
outline of foreign policy which the
President issued Friday. Mr.. Roose-
welt said this Nation opposed en-
tangling alliances and sought arma-
ments reduction, maintenance OF
world trade and the peaceful reten-
ton Of political, economic and social
independence of nations
A Republican-Senator Townsend
Of Delaware-said an effort un-
doubtedly would be made to get to
the bottom" Of a secret conference
between Mr.. Roosevelt and the Sem
ate Military Committee last week.
The President has termed "a de-
liberate lie" any statement that he
told the committee this country's
frontier was on the Rhine or in
France.
Senators Bridges, Republican, of
New Hampshire and Clark, Demo-
crat, of Missouri have contended
that since the President gave his
version of the conference, the COM
mittee members should be author
lied to give theirs.
The things he (Mr. Roosevelt)
told us were by no means the sub
ject of his press release later" said
Senator Bridges at Boston last
night.
Our people have a right to know
whether they are being dragged
down the road to war. I think the
memory of the last war is still too
keen; I don't think the people want
to get into the one which experts
agree is coming"
Senator La Toilette (Progressive)
Of Wisconsin, who frequently has
supported Roosevelt measures, said
in a speech last night at Atlantic
City, N. j.. that IF the foreign
policies of this Nation are formu-
lated secretly by the Chief Execu-
tive, it is a burlesque on govern
ment."
People should get it clear" Sen
ator La Toilette added, that we are
in no danger of any conceivable at
tack, and experts have agreed on
this fact. No nation has the
strength or wealth to carry on
war on this hemisphere.
Capper Favors Ban.
Senator Capper. Republican, Of
Kansas, declaring the United States
should remain aloof from Europe's
troubles, told reporters he favored
a ban on exports of war materials to
any country at any time. He added
such a prohibition was doubly de-
sirable in time of war.
1t was the sale of American planes
to France-plus the discovery that
the Government had been cooper
ating with a French air mission
which initiated the Military Com
mittee's study of foreign policy last
week.
The animated Senate discussions
of foreign policy provoked specu-
lation as to what effect, If any, re-
cent developments would have on
the 552,000,O00 defense program
and the neutrality law.
Some Senators, asking that their
names be withheld, said they might
seek a II per cent reduction in the
ornaments program-approxlmate-
ly the same percentage as the $780,
100000 cut which Congress made
in the Presidents $875,o0000O re-
lief bill.
The House Military Committee is
considering extending over several
years the increase in the Army Air
Corps recommended by the Presi-
dent. This would prevent accumu-
lation of a surplus of obsolete
planes, said Chairman May, Demo-
crat, of Kentucky.
One suggestion was that the Army
acquire in the 1910 fiscal year the
1880 additional planes already au-
thorized, and then be limited to
buying 500 planes year for four
years. Representative May said
such a system eventually would give
the Army about $4,000 planes.
Ineurnn~o Auvdor Cnee