Evening star., 1941-03-09
End of the Fiqht


Two aspects of the windup of the
Senate fight over the leaSe-lend bill
stand out in bold relief One was
the virtual collapse of the opposition;
the other the non-partiSan character
of the balloting on amendments
which would have impaired or de-
Stroyed the central purpose of the
measure.
The bill was debated in the Senate
for almost three weeks, with the
opposition taking up the bulk of the
time. Opponents also carried their
fight to the country in a series of
radio addresses and speaking tours,
but there was never any evidence
| that public sentiment had been
turned against the legislation. When
the crucial test came in balloting on
the important amendments, the op-
pOnentS we're never able to muster
more than thirty-nine votes, this
figure ranging down to twenty eight
Much of the credit for this favor
able outcome of what at times was
an exceedingly bitter fight belongs
to the administration leaders in the
Senate, whose skill and patience
helped steer the bill around many
a pitfall. But their success, in final
analysis, must be attributed to two
CirCumStanCeS-the fact that the
great majority of the American peo-
pie wanted the measure to be adopted,
and that a substantial majority of
the Senate, Republicans as we'll as
Democrats, were convinced in their
own minds that both the immediate
and the long-range interests of the
United States would best be served
by its enactment.
Throughout the consideration OF
amendments, the balloting reflected
relatively non-partisan approach
to the issue before the Senate. The
division of party vote varied, of
course, with different amendments.
In the case of the proposal by Sem
atOr OMahOney, however, which was
designed to prohibit convoy or de-
livery of war goods by the Army,
Navy or Air Corps, except to points
adjacent to the Americas, the record
shows that eleven Republicans voted
against the amendment, while the
sixteen who supported it were Joined
by eleven Democrats and one Pro-
greSsive. Certainly, there is no basis
for charge of partisanShip in that
lineup, and it is to be hoped that
the final House vote on ratification
will be characterized by the same
degree Of freedom from partisan di-
vision.
Only one controversial amendment
was adopted by the Senate-a re-
written version of the Ellender
amendment, which, in its original
form, would have set up a congress
Sional policy against the use of Amer
lean armed forces outside this hem
iSphere. The substitute finally
adopted, however, merely asserts, in
effect, that nothing in the lease lend
bill is intended to change existing
law on the subject, and in this form
the amendment was supported by
the administration forces.
When the bill goes to the President,
it will contain several additional
amendments, restrictive in nature,
which we're adopted in the House
with administration approval. De-
spite the we'll advised restraints thus
imposed, the bill confers on Mr.
Roosevelt powers which have never
before been granted an American
President in peacetime. This un-
precedented step, taken by Congress
in the face Of a grave and imminent
threat to all democracy, is designed
to enable the great weight of this
cOuntry'S resources to be thrown into
the scales before the battle is hope
leSSly lost, and when the President
assumes the aWeSome responsibilities
of that undertaking, upon final en-
actment of the bill, he will be en-
titled to, and should have. the whole
hearted support Of every loyal Amer
lean.