Evening star., 1939-10-28
Neutrality Bill
Speeded After
Senate Passage

Adjournment Likely
By Next Week Enc,
Leaders Believe
Administration leaders predicted
today that Congress would clear the
way for arms sales to Europe's
warning nations and go home by
next week end.
They forecast prompt House pas
sage Of the neutrality revision bill,
which the Senate approved, 63 to
80, last night after 81 days of de-
bate.
One member Of the House lead
ership said careful count of noses
indicated repeal Of the arms en-
bargo-key provision which many
legislators on both sides of the con-
troversy agreed would benefit Great
Britain and France-would be ap-
proved by a majority of at least 80
votes
The House program for dealing
with the bill will be a motion to
send it to conference, Speaker
Bankhead announced today after
consultation with Majority Leader
Rayburn.
A special rule authorizing such
procedure will be reported by the
Rules Committee Monday and taken
up in the House on Tuesday, he said.
House opponents of embargo re-
peal will have an opportunity to
move to instruct the conferees to
insist on retention of the Vorys
amendment retaining the embargo
IN part prior to vote on the mo.
tion to send the bill to conference.
Speaker Bankhead said that a mo-
ton to instruct the conferees was a
privileged motion and that he would
recognize member for that pur-
pose
The real fight in the House, there
fore, will be on motion to instruct.
If that is voted down, the bill will
be sent to conference and put
through finally in the shape desired
by the administration.
Quick Action Expected.
Congressional insiders generally
agreed that an administration-in-
clined Conference Committee would
make short shrift of its work and
would write compromise measure
embodying virtually all Of the Sen.
ate bill. The committees action
would then have to be ratified bv
both branches of the Legislature.
Besides carrying out President
Roosevelt's recommendation ths>
arms embargo be eliminated, the
Senate measure would impose re-
strictions on American credits, Ship
ping and travel to belligerent coun-
tries.
The final Senate vote, taken be-
fore galleries packed to the walls.
was followed by an unexpected and
bitter outbreak over the usually in.
significant point of how the pre-.
amble should read
The bill was offered to the Senate
without preamble.
Senator Connally, Democrat. of
Texas, a supporter of the legisla-
tion, waited until after the meas
ure was passed and then proposed
one stating that this country de-
sired to preserve its neutrality and
that in imposing restrictions on its
shipping and citizens, 1t was sur
rendering none of its rights under
international law.
Wheeler Objects.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of
Montana, an opponent of embargo
repeal, rose from his seat and began
humping papers on his desk.
Mr.. President" he declared
finally, Il cannot agree to a pre-
amble which is a stump political
speech in behalf Of this bill.
THE bill should stand or fall on
its own merits. If you don't want
TO inject politics into this issue,
why should it be necessary to in
Ject-at the last minute-a political
speech?"
Senator Connally pulled his Spec
-tacles far down on his nose, raised
his arms above him and replied:
The Senator from Montana says
this is stump speech. He ought
10 Knowles just made one"
The galleries Uttered and Senator
Connally, seated directly behind
Senator Wheeler, leaned over and
asked whether the Montanan agreed
that this country desired to main
tain its neutrality.
i think We should maintain our
neutrality" Senator Wheeler re-
piled, but I don't think we can
maintain it through repeal Of the
arms embargo"
The same old stuff" Senator
Connally snapped, his arms waving.
"When you're licked you can't
take it,"
Refuses to Yield.
"Will the Senator yield?" asked
Senator Wheeler.
NO." Senator Connally said with
emphasis.
Then don't ask me any more
questions, Senator Wheeler snap
ped.
Il will ask you another question:
Senator Connally retored angrily
Senator Clark, Democrat, of Mis-
souri,, interposed to demand en-
forcement of Senate rule recurring
that Senators be addressed only in
the third person. Senator Connally
asked another question and Senator
Wheeler fired back: You're asking
me?"
mo, I'm not" Senator 6onnar,v