Evening star., 1940-07-02
Stimson Is Approved
By Senate Unit, 14-3;
Knox Denies Politics
War Secretary Also
Says No Pledge Was
Made on Third Term
BY J. A. FOX.

BY J. A. FOX.
The Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee voted, IA to 3, this afternoon
to approve the nomination of Henry
l.. Stimson to be Secretary of War.
The three dissenters were Senators
johnson, Democrat, of Colorado;
Lundeen, Farmer-Labor, of Min
nesota, and Thomas, Republican, of
Idaho.
A motion by Senator johnson to
summon to the hearing former Sec.
retary of War Woodring, whom Mr.,
Stlmson is to succeed, was rejected.
but substitute by Senator Thomas
to invite him to appear if he sees fit
was approved.
The vote on Mr. Stimson. a Re.
publican who has served in the cabi.
nets of two Republican Presidents,
was taken at the conclusion of a
committee hearing, at which Senator
Johnson referred to the recent res.
ignation of Mr.. Woodring as a dis.
mlSSal."
Mr.. Woodring left Washington
Saturday for his home in Kansas.
Committee Chairman Sheppard will
ADVISE him Of the committees action.
Declaring that "our backs ara
against the wall" Mr.. Stimson told
the committee that the time we will
nave for our rearmament is largely
dependent on continuance of Great
Brltalns control of the North
Atlantic"
Mr.. Stimson also told the com.
mlttee that his nomination to the
cabinet had no relation to politics"
| and that he had not discussed the
third term question with Mr.. Roose-
welt.
Time after time in the course Of
a prepared statement, and later
under questioning by members of
the committee, Mr.. Stimson repeated
his belief that this country must
arm, and arm speedily.
Il believe that by some critics I
have been called warmonger and
an 'interventionist'- that
may mean" said the man who
served one Republican President
as Secretary of War and another
as Secretary of State. But" he
continued, whatever I have said
has been sctuated solely by consid-
Grafton for the needs of this coun.
try"
He added that he hoped, too,
the committee would bear in mind
the fact that he has worked long
and ardently for peace.
Not for Sending Troops.
Recalling that Mr.. Stimson had
urged all possible aid to the Allies,
Senator Minton. Democrat, of In.
diana asked. do you think that en-
tails sending troops to Europe?"
mo, I don't today" he responded.
Mr.. Stimson, whose appointment
has been criticized as political
move" of the Presidents, denied
emphatically any politics was in
volved
He also told Senator Johnson,
who led the questioning, that
nothing was said about a third
term by President Roosevelt when
he was asked to take the war
portfolio vacated by Mr.. Wood
ring. Senator Johnsons question
obviously referred to statement
made by Republican leaders that
Mr.. Stimson and Col. Frank Knox,
named to be Secretary of the Navy,
must have received assurances be-
fore they accepted that Mr.. Roose-
welt did not intend to run for third
| term.
Explaining the circumstances Of
his appointment, Mr.. Stimson said
he was in his law Office in New York
June 10 when he received a call
from the President asking if he
would take the cabinet appointment.
Said I Could Be of Assistance.
Mr.. Stimson said that he de-
INJURED, pointing to his age-72-
and the fact that he was retired.
But the President said I could be
of assistance to him."
Mr.. Stimson said he asked for a
little time and that after consulting
with his wife later in the day, de-
| cided to accept the position.
Senator johnson recalled that q
| day previous, Mr.. Stimson had made
vigorous speech urging aid to the
Allies which would include use of
naval vessels to convoy munitions
and asked if there was any connec-
ton between his expression of views
and the tender of Office.
Mr.. Stimson responded that there
was mo basis" for believing that
such was the case.
Reads Prepared Statement.
Mr.. Stimson set forth his position
on the war in prepared statement
which he read slowly, occasionally
nodding his head emphatically to
stress a point.
Spectators were packed into all
available space in the committee
rooms. Many were standing.
Referring to nations engaging in
| "systematized aggression" Mr.. Stim-
san said at one point:
THE world today is a house di-
vided against itself and it is not
reasonable to anticipate that any
peace patched up with this group of
aggressive nations can be anything
more than the briefest kind of truce.
L.