The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-17

of the world.
What else does the record re-
veal2
When the naval appropriations
bill for the fiscal year 1889 was
passed in the Senate q majority
of Republican Senators, including
the Republican candidate for
Vice-President, Senator McNary,
voted against it.
When in the spring Of 1899,
there came before the Senate the
bill increasing the number Of
Army airplanes from $500 to
5000, a majority Of Republican
Senators, including their present
candidate for Vice-President,
voted against it.
When in the Senate the naval
appropriations bill for the fiscal
year 1910 was adopted, nearly half
the Republican members voted
against it.
When in May, 10, the naval
appropriations bill carrying a
billion dollars for the Navy was
before the House Of Representa-
tives, of the fifty-eight votes cast
againsht it, f1fty-four were Repub-
licanS.
When the House Of Representa-
tives was considering the Army
appropriation bill for 1910, four
amendments were offered by Re-
publicans to reduce the sums for
signal service, ordnance and air
planes. OF the $50 members vot-
ing for these reductions las were
Republican. Only eight Repub-
licans voted against the reduce
lions.
No Warning.
In the United States Senate one
OF the Republican candidates for
President, Mr.. Taft, urged an
amendment reducing appropria-
tons for the Army and Navy by
Is per cent; and so far as I have
been able to learn, the man who
nosed him out for the Republi-
can nomination, Mr.. Wendell L.
Willkie, uttered no warning or adj
vice to his newly-made Republic
can brethren on the subject Of
national defense. He was probably
too busy talking about balancing
the budget and trying to prevent
the efforts of the Securities and
Exchange Commission to un-
scramble his billion dollar utility
holding company omelet, and en-
deavoring to thwart the detectives
Of the great Tennessee Valley
project which was begun twenty
two years ago as part Of our
national defense program.
And as late as last Thursday in
the House Of Representatives,
when, at the urgent request and
recommendation Of william r.
Knudsen and Edward Stettinius,
members Of the Advisory Commit
tee on National Defense, and also
at the urgent solicitation Of Mr..
Dunn, member of the engineer
ing firm which Mr.. Willkie con-
suited in his fight against the
Tennessee Valley Authority, an
effort was made to provide for the
construction of an additional dam
for the purpose Of inaugurating
the speedy manufacture of neces-
Sary aluminium for the construc-
ton Of airplanes, the effort was
blocked by Republican members Of
the House Of Representatives.
In spite Of these unfortunate
records made by those whom the
people have trusted, I am con-
WINGED that the vast majority Of
Republican voters Of the nation
are in full agreement with the
president and those who are work.
ing with him on his defense pro-
gram and on his foreign policy.
But what Of our involvement In
war?
The Republican platform me-
chanics have sought to conceal
their own past attitude and record
by proclaiming themselves as
simon pure, 100 per cent, blown
the-bottle preservers Of peace
for the American people.
No man who ever occupied the
Presidency of the United States
ever strove more valiantly to avert
the present war In Europe before
its outbreak than did Mr.. Roose-
welt. No man ever condemned in
more unmeasured terms the wick
ed determination to resort to the
brutal force of arms in conquer
ing peaceful and friendly nations,
or in settling ay legitimate con-
troversies among the nations Of
Europe.
No political party or admins
ration in the history of this or
any nation ever made greater sac
rifices to avoid involvement In war
than have been made by the DEM
ocratic party and its present adj
ministration.
For more than a century we, as
a nation, have insisted on the
freedom Of the seas. We have in
sisted that our flag and every flag
had the right to sail the seas IN
time Of war, subject to certain
rights Of search and seizure. We
have insisted on the rights OF
Americans TO trade and travel un-
der an international law that had
been recognized for centuries 1t
was our insistence on the observe
ance OF these rights that finally
drew US into the World War IN
1917.
But IN order 10 avoid the possi-
bility or likelihood Of or uinvoiye-
ment IN this war through Incl
dents incapable OF being forseen.
we have, In the neutrality lew
recommended BY the presidnet and
enacted By Democrats congress