The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-10-05

(RY Staff Writerl

Washington-The final answer
of Congress to President Roose-
velt's plea to repeal the embar-
go on arms and ammunitions to-
belligerent nations hinges, in the
long run, on public sentiment;
and Senators and Representatives
began, as soon as they had con-
vened in special session, to get
expressions of public sentiment
which were quite the opposite OF
what the President and most Of
the members of Congress had be-
lieved was the way the people OF
the United States felt.
The Presidents clearly stated
desire to keep the United States
out of war met with an over
whelming response of approval.
Almost as unanimous with the
Allied cause as against Hitler,
which are included in the record
breaking volume of mail and
kilograms addressed to the
White House and the Capitol. No
such voluminous and widespread
public interest has been shown in
any question with which Con-
gres has had to deal at any time
in the past.
Literally hundreds of thous-
ands of letters have poured in.
On the first day after the historic
special session opened, one Sena-
tor alone received more than 3d.
900 letters from the people of his
state.
Favor Embargo
But while the Presidents mail
and kilograms were almost un-
animous in their praise Of his
speech to the Congress, with its
repeated declaration that the
purpose of the American people
is to keep out of war, and his as
sertion that the way to be truly
neutral is to repeal the arms
embargo provisions, at least, of the
present neutrality law, the tenor
of the letters which came to Cap
itol Hill is a stout denial that the
Presidents program will keep us
out of war, and an appeal to re-
tain the arms embargo as safe
guard of peace.
From some sections of the
country the ratio of letters favor
ing the retention of the present
law is as high as a hundred
against repeal to one in favor of
it. In no section Of the nation is
the majority against repeal, as
expressed in letters from consti-
tuents, less than ten to one.
Some of the letters indicate
clearly that they have been in
spired by different peace blocs,"
but surprisingly large proper
ton are spontaneous, individual
communications from the people
who earnestly believe that the
Neutrality Act as it stands insures
American neutrality in the
European conflict and so will
keep us out Of war.
Polls Differ
The latest nationwide polls OF
public opinion by the agencies /
engaged in checking up on what
people think tell somewhat dit
ferent story, with as high as So
percent CT voters in favor OF
amending the Neutrality Act, or
repeating it entirely.
All of these expressions and re-
ports of public opinion are being
carefully studied by both the
Executive and the Legislative
branches of the Government.
They will be reflected in the de- /
bate in the Senate, where the
battle will be waged most bitter
ly, and will influence the final
vote of Congress. Those debates
will be influenced, as doubtless
many of the expressions by voters
are influenced, by partisan poll
teal considerations.
In his address to Congress the
President took pains to disclalm
any partisan point Of view. He
took the unprecedented step of
calling into conference at the
White House, before he prepared
his speech not only the leaders OF
the Opposition in Congress but
the titular heads of the Republi-
can Party, Gov. ALT M. Landon
and Col. Frank Knox, the cand1-
dates for President and Vice
President in 1886. He called on
the American people to act as
unit without regard to political
affiliations.
Landon's Statement
Governor Landon, in a public
statement, declared that the
grave national issue of keeping
out of war is clouded by the sha-
dow of the widespread belief
I'LL H. DroeiJop4 Iociroc q third