Evening star., 1939-10-22
Nearing the End

for all practical purposes, the Senate
will turn this week to the considera-
ton of amendments to the admin
istration measure sponsored by
Chairman Pittman of the Foreign
Relations Committee.
On the basis of the record so far
established, there appears to be no
reason why the amendments should
not be disposed of expeditiously and
final vote had at an early date. The
most important question before the
Senate has concerned the wisdom of
repeating the arms embargo. The
administration had a safe majority
in favor of repeal when the debate
began and the opposition Senators
have brought forth no facts calcu-
lated to reduce that majority. On the
contrary, the position of the repeal
lists has been strengthened rather
than weakened, for the isolationists,
on their own statement, have made
no case for retention of the embargo,
while the majority group has made
convincing showing that repeal, in
addition to strengthening the Euro
pean democracies in their fight
against totalitarian aggression, will
tend to minimize the danger that
this country may be drawn into the
war.
With the arguments on the en-
barge question fully explored, and
the issue resolved in favor of re-
peal, there will be no excuse for dila-
tory TACTICS when the amendments
are called up for discussion. The
amendments in the main will con-
Germ the so-called "cash-and-carry"
provisions of the bill. Earlier opposi-
ton to the cash" section was aimed
at the ninety-day comercial credit
clause, but since Senator Pittman
has announced that he will consent to
an amendment striking that clause
from the bill no serious controversy
on this point is anticipated.
In the matter of the carry" pro-
visions, however, there is room for
legitimate debate. As originally
drafted the bill would have imposed
needlessly stringent restrictions on
the operation OF the American mer-
chant marine, but this defect has
been recognized and the admins
tration forces are prepared to offer
what they consider proper correc-
tive amendments so as to permit our
merchant ships to sail in waters
where the danger from belligerent
Warshlps is non existent, or not seri-
Gus enough to justify the abandon
ment of our maritime trade.
The objective of the carry"
clause is to combine a maximum Of
protection for American shipping
with minimum of interference with
legitimate business. Obviously, it is
difficult to determine just where the
line should be drawn, and that is a
matter which requires careful study
and full debate, but, in view of the
consideration already given the prob
lem, its proper solution should not
prevent the Senate from concluding
action on the bill this week and send
ing it to the House.
Since this measure is a substitute
for the bill introduced in the House
during the last session by Chairman
Bloom of the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee, it is probable that one of two
procedures will be followed after the
Senate acts. One possibility is that
the Senate version will be sent to
conference. but there is more likeli-
hood, If the administration forces are
confident that they have a majority
of the votes, that the bill will be
called up on motion to concur in
the Senate changes. This latter would
be the more expeditions method, as
debate probably would be limited by
agreement, say to fifteen or twenty
hours, and the entire matter disposed
of in three or four days. The bill,
under this procedure, would not be
open to amendment in the House,
that body being obliged either to ac-
cept or reject the Senate substitute
in its entirety.
As matters now stand, no useful
purpose can be served by further dis
cussion of the wisdom of the policy
involved In the proposed revision.
General debate has been exhausted
and Congress, with view both to
keeping this country at peace and
to furthering our best interests
throughout the world, should follow
the most direct course to final ap-
proval of the Pittman bill with the
suggested amendments.