Evening star., 1941-11-01
Senator Green Cites
Vital Imports in Urging
Freedom Of Seas
Senate Cancels Saturday
Recess to Speed Action
On Neutrality Repeal
By ]. A. OLEARY.

The neutrality law was an Ameri-
can effort to appeaSe Hitler and mas
failed, as in all other countries,
Senator Green, Democrat, of Rhode
Island declared today in urging re-
peal of restrictions on the freedom
of the seas.
Ready to take the floor as the
Senate gave up its usual Saturday
recess to speed the repeal bill,
Senator Green said the isolationists
"have no interest in Europe, but
Hitler Is no isolationist and has
real interest In the Western Hemi-
sphere"
Senator Ball, Republican, Of Min
nesota, also was prepared to come
out for the bill during the day, while
Senator Clark, Democrat, Of Mis-
souri, awaited an opportunity to
renew the fight against the measure
for the opponents of the admins
tration's foreign policy.
Quotes Hitler.
Senator Green, who is member
OF the Foreign Relations Committee,
quoted Hitler as having said in jan
uary, 1939-eight months before the
war-that Germany had mo feeling
of hatred toward England, America
or France; all it wants Is peace and
quiet"
The Rhode Island Senator laconi-
cally observed that he mas since
given peace and quiet to France
and, according to our isolationist
friends he may give it to England,
but never to America. We all wish
we could have peace and quiet, but
not the kind which descends on
land after Hitler's conquest"
Meanwhile, Senate leaders, look
ing toward passage by Wednesday,
believed the . sinking Of the de-
stroyer Reuben James, somewhere
west of Iceland, would increase the
margin of votes for repeal Of the
three vital sections of the law which
prevent American merchant ships
from arming, from going through
combat zones or into belligerent
ports to deliver leaselend aid to the
countries fighting the Axis.
"HCCICT SIdIIuS HO NuSCS.
With 40 votes required for Sem
ate majority. Senator Wheeler, DEM
ocrat, of Montana, a leading isola-
zionist. was claiming not more than
43 opposition votes today. This CO.
incides closely with administration
claims Of 50 or So votes for the meas
ure. 1t is possible the vote may be
closer on amendments to limit the
bill to arming merchant ships. but
such efforts are expected to fall
short OF the mark.
Senator Green cited Russia as
the classic example of the futility
of appeasement. The extreme case,
he said, is that of the Soviet Union,
which not only tried appeasement,
but formed an alliance with Hitler
to find that without warning he
turned and struck would-be vital
blows at his nominal friend and
ally"
Recalling the sinking of one
American merchant ship sailing
without cargo off the coast of Afri-
ca, far from any combat zone. Sem
ator Green observed, so the ap-
peasement policy has failed here,
too. and that reason for the (Neu-
trality) Act has gone"
Points to Import Needs.
To show that the United States
cannot isolate itself from the rest
of the world, Senator Green listed
tin, rubber. magnesium and many
other essential materials this coun-
try needs from remote parts of the
globe. and inquired how they would
be obtained under the Neutrality
Act If Japan should decide to be.
come an active Axis partner and
the President were forced to de-
clare combat zones in the Far East.
Answering the isolationist claim
that giving up the doctrine Of free
dom of the seas is costing America
nothing, Senator Green cited speci-
flc examples of strategic materials
now awaiting shipment to this
country from Egypt and North
Africa. which American flag ships
cannot 60 after because they can
not stop at Port Said. in Egypt, or
at Casablanca, in Morocco.
IF Japan can control the Malay
Peninsula, and the naval base
which protects the straits at Singa-
pore. she will control the Indian
Ocean," Senator Green continued.
$50, Singapore is in sense key
to our national defense. Yet 1 have
heard people express indifference as
to whether or not the control
passed from Great Britain to
Japan"
Previously he had explained that
tine manganese this country needs
for its steel industries formerly came
in great bulk from Russia, India, At
rica and the Philippines.
In the tenseness that followed
news of the Reuben James sinking
yesterday, Senator ODaniel, Demo-
crat, of Texas made an unsuccessful
effort to close debate and bring an
immediate vote on neutrality repeal.
1t required unanimous consent, how
ever, and Senator Maloney, Demo-
crat. of Connecticut objected, ex-
planning that the issue is an impor-
tant one, and number of Senators
still want to be heard.
Senate leaders had no desire to
follox, I'm fha 0,Dorio1 y,,ora Al