Evening star., 1939-07-15
The Political Mill
Adoption Of Neutrality Legislation
At This Session Extremely Doubtful

| barred-in the event the mandatory
embargo should be lifted.
The Presidents message to Con-
gress was regarded in some quarters
today as a determination to keep
the record straight-to make his
protest to a recalcitrant Congress
clear to the country-rather than
an ultimatum to the legislators that
he intended to keep them here all
summer, If necessary, to get the law
changes he believes wise. How far
the President is willing to 60 to force
Congress into line on this issue re-
mains to be seen.
1t is quite apparent that unless
the President, backed up by the
administration forces on Capitol
Hill, is willing to go the whole route,
insist upon Congress remaining in
session and use all the influence at
his command, there will be no pres
ent change in the neutrality laws.
The issue has been too sharply
made. The lines have been drawn.
Unless two members of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee should
change their attitude, it will be i'm
possible to get a report of any neu-
trality legislation from that COM
mittee. 1t is considered unlikely
that any Of the members will change
particularly in view of the fact
that every effort was made to get
two or three of them, who sub
sequently voted against the admin
istration, to change their positions
before the matter was voted on in
committee.
Filibuster Possible.
So far as discharging the Foreign
Relations Committee from consid-
Grafton of the Bloom bill, which
passed the House, and so bring it to
the floor of the Senate, is concerned,
that is a dim hope. In the first
place, 1t could be filibustered as well
as the bill itself. Any effort to at
tach neutrality legislation to other
bills in the Senate would immedi-
ately result in a long contest.
Even If the neutrality legislation
is allowed to lie dormant, however,
there is no prospect OF an immediate
adjournment OF Congress, unless that
body should determine also to lay
aside the Presidents new lending
bill. Not only is there a storm brew
ing over this legislation but there
may come real struggle in Con-
gress to revise the new w. P. A. law,
which calls for the payment of ''se-
curity' wages instead of the old
prevailing wage"
A lengthy delay on the part of
Congress over these other matters
would have the effect of keeping that
body in session far into the summer
and that might easily answer the
purpose Of the administration so far
as the neutrality situation is con-
cerned. For should trouble arise and
war break out overseas, Congress
would be here to act quickly.
There is strong opinion that
should there be war abroad, the de-
mand for neutrality legislation
change in this country would be so
strong as to force the hands of Con-
gress, and that the mandatory en-
barge provision would 60 by the
board.
The firm stand taken by the Presi-
dent in the w. P. A. strikes and in
support Of the law recently enacted
providing for the security wage may
have the effect of turning the tables
against a change back to the pre-
vailing wage. Certainly the strikes
are arousing sentiment in many
parts of the country. The w. P. A.
has been none too popular with great
groups in the farming sections.