The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-05-22
THE
WASHINGTON
SCENE
By HENRY ION
Federated Press)

into the background here by the out
break of war in Holland and Belgium
The question uppermost in the
minds of most officials is whether
the U. S. is going to enter the wal
as belligerent But to the man in
the street exemplified by the garrul-
GUS Washington cab driver, the ques-
ton is when" rather than whether. .
This casual assumption that the U.
S. is going to enter the war is based
on nothing more definite than straws
in the wind. So far no public official
of any prominence has come out with
declaration favoring U. S. entry into
the war. Clear cut statements to the
contrary, on the other hand, have
been lacking.
1t is assumed, for instance, that
the Johnson act, prohibiting loans or
credits to nations in default on the
last wars loans, will be repealed or
circumvented as soon as possible after
the November elections.
This will happen, it is said, regard
less of who is elected Senator Austin
(R., VT, assistant minority leader in
the senate, on May IA advocated such
changes in the Johnson act as are
necessary to permit aid to Great Bri-
tain and France
On the administration side there
have been those who have tentatively
ventured suggestions. Secretary of
Agriculture Henry Wallace has
pointed out that next falls harvest
will have to find export channels if
the farmers are to avoid even harder
times.
Newspapers supporting the admin
istration's foreign policy have COM
mented on the possibility of the eight
billion dollars available to Great Bri-
tain and France being exhausted by
next summer and called attention to
the Johnson act as a bar to further
help.
Others have suggested a barter
agreement between Great Britain and
the U. S. as a means of avoiding the
Johnson act, the U. S. to purchase
and withhold from the market stocks
of rubber and tin, essential war ma
terials.
Granting credits is not sending
troops but the senate munitions COM
mittee produced evidence to support
the thesis that the flag follows pretty
closely on the heels of the dollar
The move toward granting of credits
is not the only factor lending hor-
rible semblance of truth to the fear
that the question of U. S. entry into
the war is a matter of when rather
than whether.
Sir Frederick Whyte, director of the
American division of the British min
lstry of information, in a speech in
Londan May IA declared
"The best we can do is to hold our
tongues, hope for the best and pre-
serve our patience in the belief that in
The last resort the U. S. will be stand |
ng where we want Them
The same day The Most Honorable
he Marques of Lothian, Lord New
battle, Earl of Lothian, Baron Jed
,urgh, Earl of Ancrum, Baron Kerr
If Nisbet, Baron Long-Newton and
Viscount of Brien,
Baron Kerr of Newbattle, Baron Ker
;. Y, ambassador of His Majesty
ieorge vi to Washington, made a
peech to the English Speaking I'm
on at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in
Jew York city.
He stressed with skill and erudition
he tise that bind. "While we all love
reedom and the institutions which
rotect it there is as yet no common
olitical purpose within the English
peaking world in the international
pierre, he declared.
There stands before u.s. The Most
1onourable etc. asserted, two naked
derivatives. On the one side western
utilization may, for a time, take
lunge back into darker age than
70 have ever known before.
"On the other hand we may rise to
evels of national unselfishness and
ision and dedication which may give
} mankind the greatest new birth of
'eedom it has ever known 1t is on
S that the responsibility for this fate
IL decision rests"
He might have also mentioned that
astern civilization, the civilization
lat gave the world the philosophy
Confucius, the political ideas of
un Vat Sen and oddly enough, gun
owder, has also been in danger for
)me time.
On that same day, May IA, presi-
entail secretary Stephen Early made
slip of the tongue that caused some
1easiness. He was speaking of the
sed of added defense and likening
e spread of war to "a four alarm
re" coming this way.
"If you have not the chemicals to
otect your home you scarcely have
me to go to the bank and negotiate
pital to buy the materials" he told
porters. What you want to do is
put out the fire Immediately and
ep it from reaching your home"
He explained later that what he
cant to say was, What you want to
is keep the fire from reaching your
me" and leave out references to put
lg it out as being open to miscon-
-uction.
that! We won't have you cutting