The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-03-12

ROBERT Secrest Ohioan in re-
spouse to attacks, oy some of the
bills proponents, upon its oppo-
nents, on the ground that the lat
ter have talked against II excess
sively. In part. too. the quoting's
being done by solons who favored
the lease-lend plan all along. They
wanted il to get majority, but
they don't think II would have been
right TO gag its opposition spokes-
men.
Defenders Of the principle Of a
maximum of free expression in our
senate and house Of representa-
tives make the point that there's
minimum Of II, or not bit, in the
totalitarian countries apologies for
national assemblies. That, accord
ing to sympathizers with the Sc
crest doctrine, is what makes such
countries totalitarian. If our two
chambers aren't careful not TO
muzzle their minorities, the Secrest
theorists argue, Wen be travelling
in the totalitarian direction our
selves.
The 100 per cent lease-lenders in
Washington. to be sure, took the
position that their opposition's
scheme was to delay the bills
adoption out OF pure cussedness.
They weren't afraid, any Of the
time. that il wouldn't 60 through,
unimportantly amended. But they
were in a hurry, and the other side
was so vocal that they had TO keep
postponing an out-and-out vote on
it. They accused the "antis' OF
mere fibustering, just to bother
'em all they could.
Sounding Board
Now. the lease-lend programs
opponents have made out pretty
good case back Of their denial that
delays all they've been campaign
ing for. What had they to gain by
delay alone? They've known. as
well as the lease-lenders have, that
the bill finally would pass, slightly
modified. They've wanted a full
opportunity, however. TO denounce
1t in front Of Capitol Hill sound
ing board, for the sake of the ef-
feet on the country, back home.
And the mail that's poured into
Washington, from out in the sticks,
has limited to them, and to the
lease-lenders likewise, that they've
done a fairly competent job. That's
what has made the lease-lenders so
sore and kept the ANTS" so cocky.
Senator Burton K. Wheeler Of
Montana VIGOROUSLY Chats the
word the lease-lenders use) organ
lied the ants" fight. And didn't
he do it to perfection! Ask the
lease-lenders if you've any doubts
about II. They'd have him drawn
and quartered If they could. Dear
reader, you may think, also. that
he ought to be electrocuted for do
ing it, but you can't but admire his
technique. Some Of our keep-out-
of-war leaders have been rather
bungling and made 'emselves SEMI
ridiculous But not Burton K. He
can be hated. but he's no joke.
AS supporter Of Senator
Wheeler, perhaps Senator David l.
Walsh Of Massachusetts, raised
more hades than any other single
solon, with his speech in opposition
to the transfer Of any additional
.warships TO Britain. That's be-
cause he's chairman Of the senate's
naval affairs committee, therefore
an authority on the subject Of the
maritime armament we can't spare.
Anti administration statesmen
like Senators Gapper, Hi johnson,
shipstead, Nye, Taft and vanden-
berg don't count so much. They're
Republicans and partisanly belong
in the anti-administration column.
These All Count
But Senators Wheeler, Walsh,
Bulow, Clark Gillette, McCarran
and Reynolds signify whole lot
They're Democrats; thus admins
tration boilers on a super-vital
issue.
Senator LaFollette isn't exactly
a bolter. for he's a Progressive, not
a Democrat Yet he's been New
Dealer But he couldn't stand for
the lease-lend proposition; 50 he's