The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-28

Wheeler, Democrat, Montana
draft bloc, gave up any hope
draft bloc, gave up any hope OF
defeating the bill after the Senate
smashed, 90 to 81, proposal by
senator David I. Walsh, Democrat,
Massachusetts, to initiate ora1t
only after Congress had declared
war or pronounced the nation
threatened by invasion.
'T think we reached the nigh
water mark of our strength on the
Walsh amendment, Wheeler SAID
sI think the vote on the bill will be
about the same. We put up the pest
fight we knew how. We did the
best we could do
Wheeler said he thought the final
vote would come tonight, but Sen
ate Democratic Leader Alben w.
Barley and Chairman MOTIFS
Sheppard of the Senate Military Al.
fairs Committee believed the bill
could be passed during the after
noon.
Only one major obstacle to senate
approval remainS-a substitute pro-
posal by Sen. Francis T. Maloney,
D., Conn, to defer Consumption I'M
til Jan. 1. And to become effective
then only in case voluntary en-
lstment drive fails to bring enough
men into the army.
MaIoney Plan Strongest
Barley believes that the opposi-
ton to CONSUMPTION will get their
greatest strength on the Maloney
substitute. He expects about 80
votes for it. Many isolationiStS WILL
not vote for it, however, because II
acknowledges, on deferred basis
the possibility that consumption Is
necessary.
AS the end of the long, bitter de-
bate approached, administration
leaders succeeded in Admitting de-
bate. Barley obtained unanimous
consent to limit individual speeches
on proposed amendments or substi-
tute bills today to Is minutes each
Speeches on the bill itself were lin
tied to 80 minutes each.
Supporters of the Maloney substi-
tute conceded that it would fail
Prior to denunciation of it by Pres
ident Roosevelt and Republican
presidential nominee Wendell l.
Willkie they had six or seven vote
margin.
In addition to the Maloney sub
stitute the senate also must con-
slider an amendment by Sen. Rich
ard B. Russell, D., Ga, which woulC
empower the government to TAXI
over plants that have refused to CO.
operate in fulfilling nationa defense
contracts.
AS the senate began its 14th da.
of debate at II a. M, the house mil
itary affairs committee was seized
uled to report its version. The com
mittoe tentatively decided to pres
for registration of all men between
the ages of 81 and As, whereas tn
senate bill would register only thos
between 81 and 81.
Congress Is Blamed
Washington, Aug. 28-(UP)-Th
controversy between Sen. Harry F
Byrd, D., Va, and the administra
ton over the status OF the defenS
program continued today.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that he ant
two members of the defense com
mission - Production Coordinate
William S. Knudsen and Procure
ment Coordinator Edward R. Stet
tinius, Jr.,-were agreed that tn
program was progressing as rapid
as possible in view of congreSsiona
delay on necessary legislation, speci
f1cally :
/. The CONSUMPTION bill, pendin
in both the senate and house.
2. The house-approved $4,850,
100000 supplemental total defense
bill, pending in the senate.
3. The excess profits tax bill, wit
its provisions for writing off the cos
of new national defense plants with
in five years.
Begging Down" Refuted
President Roosevelt said that som
Of Byrd's statistics were correct bu
that the implication of the program
s'bogging down" was dead wrong. H
then cited the 10,015 plane f1gur
which he said had been supple
him by John D. Biggers, industrial
ist and defense commission aide.
Mr.. Roosevelt implied that tn
points at issue with Byrd involve
confusion over three sets of figure
One set, he said, were of signed fol
NAL contracts; another were of a
planes being built for this and othe
governments; and the third were {
all planes of a combat type unde
construction.
The president made it clear ths
he IS interested primarily in train
ing pilots and that, therefore,
large number of planes now bein
:. x5aI;varod ORC FRO i,,orS uheren