The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-02-20
THE GREAT
GAME OF
POLITICS .
Copyright by The Baltimore Sun and
reprinted in The Republican by per-
mission.
The Next Big Question
By FRANK R. KENT

AS the week ends in Washington,
two things are generally accepted
first, that there will not be more than
a handful of Senators voting against
the lease-lend bill on it's final pass
age; second, that the restrictive
amendments adopted in committee
have approved the measure, which, in
it's original form, was Objectionable
and dangerous.
To this extent the criticism which
forced the changes has justified it
self. There was no necessity to pre-
sent so grossly exaggerated a pro-
posal to Congress, and neither the in
terests of the British nor our own
would have been served had its more
jittery journalistic advocates, who
screamed for immediate and I'M
amended passage, had their way. AS
things now stand, one or two addi-
tional limitations would promote that
national unity which Mr. Willkie is
urging and enhance very greatly the
moral effect of the enactment.
***
1t would seem the part of wisdom
for the Administration not to be stiff
necked about reasonable proposals
made from the floor, but to accept
these as conducive to the sort of
spirit for which the crisis calls. One
reason for thinking that this may be
done is that Senator George, chair
man of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, who will handle the bill
on the floor and is in accord with the
Presidents foreign policy, neverthe-
less is not in the least the slavish
White House follower that his prede-
cessor was.
Fair-minded and conciliatory, it is
entirely likely that Senator George
will use his own judgment instead of
waiting for orders. Whether he does
or not, the final passage will be i'm
pressive because of the number of
Senators who will vote for the bill
even in form they disapprove, so as
not to encourage Hitler by revealing
a real division. In other words, while
resenting the effort of Mr.. Roosevelt
to grasp unneeded power, they will do
their part toward presenting the
united front through a nearly unani-
nous vote.
Once, with that kind of vote, the
bill becomes a law, the Presidents
policy of all aid to the British "short
of war" will be officially established
as the national policy. With the over
Whelming enactment of this bill we
will have thrown away the last pre-
tense of our neutrality and, through
joint action of the executive and leg
islative branches, declared ourselves
the enemy of Hitler and the ally of
the British, eager to make available
to the latter-wthout pay and almost
without limit-the vast resources of
this country.
True, from queer kind of political
fear and as a concession to the peace
at-any-price sentiment, we still are
insisting upon the British transport
ing materials in their own boats and
upon keeping American vessels out of
the war zone both as transports and
conveys. This, of course, is neither
logical nor sensible. Actually, to some
extent it is a notification of the pol
icy of all aid to the British. Once you
accept the thesis upon which this bill
is lbased-to-wit, that the crushing of
England would be calamitous to the
United States-once that is accepted,
then it does not make sense to with
hold anything we have which she
needs-particularly food
SIS
On the contrary, it is obviously
stupid, and privately it is so termed
by various Administration spokesman
who publicly support it. How long we
will continue not to furnish the aid
which convoy cooperation would mean,
no one knows, but few posted persons
would be surprised at change in this
respect before long. If the British
food need grows more acute and the
British life is threatened by increased
submarine sinkings, the change is con-
sidered certain. We will not stand by
and see the British people starve in a
futile effort to play safe.
#**
In the meantime, once the bill is
passed, the all aid to Britain short of
war is no longer Mr.. Roosevelt's pol
icy, or Mr.. Wilkes policy, or the
White committees policy, or anyone
else's policy; it will then be the coun-
try's policy, formally adopted and
proclaimed. The big question then will
be not whether we shall furnish all
the help we can, with no concern for
payment. The question then will be
whether, with all the money and all
the power he needs, Mr.. Roosevelt
will act quickly and efficiently to pro-
duce and deliver the goods.
4