The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-12-19
(Bv Staff Writer)

CBy Staff Writer)
Washington. - Are we going to
revise our neutrality laws to
make it legal for us to give great
or help to Great Britain?
That's the most important SUD-
iect under discussion here today
That, and the fact that the Presl-
dent has been on a fishing trip
For. to most of Washington fish
ing trip heralds an important de-
cision, and it is expected that soon
after the President returns he is
apt to say just what he thinks we
should do about increasing heip
to Britain and making it possible
to loan money to that country.
The visit of England's Sir Fred
erick Phillips to Washington Is
also expected to bring to a heao
. decision on the loan to Britain
question. Sir Frederick came here
primarily to lay the groundwork
for loans and to present figures TO
show the present financial
strength of the British Empire
and its ability to pay. He has sald
that Britain is now spending
about $45.OOO,OOO a day on the
war and that help will be needed
soon.
Question of Involvement
To the people in this country
and to Congress, the problem isn't
much how England will pay. 1t
is more how much we will be in
volved in the war if we decide to
repeal our law which now pre-
vents loans to nations which
haven't paid their debts from the
last war.
That law was one of several
which were passed in order to
keep our country in a neutral
position. Among the people as
well as among congressman
there is a wide division of opin-
ion on what should be done. The
question revolves around the one
point which affects so many de-
cisions in Washington today
namely: Are we willing to risk
war for America in order to aid
Britain's chances of defeating the
Axis powers?
On this subject, Congressional
thought ranges from those who
think we should enter the war
Immediately to those who think
that it isn't our war and we
should keep our hands off no mat
ter what happens. Public opinion
has been polled on this question
many times, but there still seems
to be no clear group feeling on
the subject. The American nation
has clearly said that it wants our
defenses built to the hilt and
that's as far as it is willing to talk
for the record. But there is no
doubt that the next session OF
Congress will be forced to decide
this vital question.
Changes in Representation
Although the war and our de-
tense program overshadows ev-
erything else in Washington to-
day, there are still other prob
lens which require intelligent
consideration. One subject which
is being widely discussed at the
moment is that of changes in rep
resentation in Congress based on
the new 1910 Census.
It is not expected that there
will be an increase in the number
of representative in the House,
since law was passed in 1929
to limit the number of represen-
tatives to 435-the number which
have been in the House ever since
191O.That law could be changed
to increase the number, but it is
not thought likely that that will
be done.
There are several methods that
Congress can use to reapportion
the representation of the various
states based on their new popu-
lation. At the present time each
representative speaks for slight
ly over 100000 people. After each
census action is taken to reappor-
ton representation in line with
population shifts.
If the method used after the
1880 Census is adopted by thi:
Congress, eight states would gair
representatives and ten states
would each lose one.
California would gain three ane
the following states would eacl
gain one: Arizona, Florida, Mich
gan, New Mexico, North Carolina
Oregon and Tennessee.
The states which would eacl
lose one are: Arkansas: Illinois
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachu
sets, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahom;
and Pennsylvania.