Evening star., 1939-02-24
New Senute Criticism
Of Foreign Policy
Follows Vote
BY the Associated Press.

passed the remainder of the ad-
ministration bill authorizing a $48,-
100000 series of naval air bases in
the Pacific. Puerto Rico and the
continental United States. Only
four members rose in opposition on
the final vote.
Even before the bill formally was
sent to the Senate several Senators
declared the defense program
should not be debated until the
Governments stand on foreign af-
fairs is clarified.
At the same time Senators Borah,
Republican, of Idaho and johnson,
Republican. of California took the
leadership in a bipartisan move
ment to formulate a statement of
foreign policy based on the prin-
ciple Of avoiding conflict.
Called Foreign Policy Vote.
House leaders, who had pleaded
for approval of the $500O,O00 Guam
project on the ground it did not
mean fortif1cation of the island,
later interpreted the vote as pri-
marily one on foreign policy.
Democratic Leader Rayburn said,
Il guess If the Guam improvement
had been recommended by the Riv-
ers and Harbors Committee instead
OF by the Naval Committee, it would
have gone through all right
Previously Representative Rayburn
had told the House the improvement
was needed for commercial seaplane
routes as we'll as some naval opera
tIons. He reiterated the. argument
OF Chairman Vinson of the Naval
Committee that harbor improvement
could not be interpreted as a slap
at any nation.
Opponents contended, however.
that since the island was in the
midst of territory under japanese
mandate, establishment of a sea-
plane base would appear to be a
distinctly unfriendly act.
IF you're looking for war" said
Representative Fish. Republican, of
New York, this is the best way to
get it,
Democrats Break Again.
The administrations defeat on the
Guam vote had its political as we'll
as international aspects. Repub-
licans, who had decided on their
stand at a party conference, held
their lines virtually intact, but about
one-fourth of the Democrats broke
away from their leaders.
The vote stood: Opposing the
Guam project, 1873 Republicans, SO
Democrats, 2 Progressives, Farmer
Laborite; supporting it, 152 Demo-
Gratis, Is Republicans, l American
Laborite.
Chairman Walsh of the Senate
Naval Committee said he believed
the Guam proposal was dead. AL
though there was some talk the ad-
ministration would attempt to revive
it in the Senate, Chairman Walsh's
attitude-shared by others on his
committee-might doom such
move.
Meanwhile, the Borah-Johnson
effort to write foreign policy state
ment apparently was headed for in
Vulnerable difficulties. due to the
wide differences of opinion among
critics of the administration S course.
Senator johnson indicated these
difficulties might be resolved by
COUGHING the statement in very gen.
eral terms.
Aside from a general principle
of staying out of war;" he said, Il
would not attempt to define what
may be in the minds of the other
Senators"
He declared war was not impend-
Ing and said "The propaganda that
is being so elaborately and eXtrava-
gantly used at present is seeking to
take us into war" A reassuring
statement from group of Senators
at this time, he asserted. would
ease "the hysteria and the war
propaganda that are now rife"
Administration Senators Skeptical
Senator Borah said the discus
sions had not gone far enough to
indicate the outcome of the move
ment, but administration Senators
were skeptical.
ANY attempt of a minority group
of Senators to write a foreign pol
Icy" said Chairman Pittman of the
Foreign Relations Committee, "is so
contrary to our form of representa-
tive government that it would be
even better to attempt, as futile as
1t might be. to ascertain universal
public opinion"
Senator Connally, Democrat, of
Texas, committee member, said:
"A statement like that probably
will stir up a lot of discussion, and
think there has been too much
popping off already"
Senator Clark, Democrat, of Idaho
linked foreign policy directly to the
pending defense measures by say
ing: Il don't believe the Senate
can intelligently consider this arma-
ments program without knowing
what our foreign policy is"
He termed Mr.. Roosevelt's recent
statement unsatisfactory. The Presi-
dent told press conference Ameri-
can policy covered four points: No
entangling alliances, maintenance
OF world trade Tor all nations, SYM
pathy with all disarmament efforts
and sympathy with "the peaceful
maintenance OF political, economic
and social independence of all ma
tions in the world"
Takes Bill Up Monday.
The Senate will begin considera-
ton of the major part of the de-
tense program Monday, when it !
takes up a 1888 100000 bill to- au-
thorize expansion of the Army Air
Corps and strengthen Army de-
fenses, notably at the Panama
Canal.
Nearly an hour of debate preceded
House elimination of the Guam
item. Opponents of the project
argued not only that it would offend
Japan, but that it was unnecessary
from a strategic point of view,
could not be defended against an
OF ftoc c1y