Evening star., 1941-10-14

Uelt recently urged repeal OF pro-
DiSiOn barring arminq Of Amer
icdn ships and also suggested
Congress giUe consideration to
eliminating ban on operation OF
such ueSSelS in combat zones.
BY the Associated Press.
John E. Finerty, New York attor-
ney appearing as the first witness
against proposals to permit the arm
ing Of merchant ships, denounced
the idea today as "a means Of in
volving us IN this war"
Mr.. Finerty. who said he once
represented Eamon de Valera. now
head of the government OF Fire. told
the House Foreign Affairs Commit
tee that the three American ships
sunk so far-the Robin Moor, the
Steel Searfarer and the Sessa--
were carrying contraband He as
serted they were not sunk without
warning.
II from now on We make it pos
sible for the Germans to say that
any merchant vessel is armed we
condemn our own seamen Ia total
destruction" Mr.. Finerty said.
Cudahy Asked to Testify.
When the committee reopened its
doors after closed session. Repre-
sentative Mundt. Republican. of
South Dakota announced he had re-
ceived telegram from John
Cudahy, former Ambassador to BEL
GUM, stating he had asked Chair
man Bloom for an opportunity 10
testify. A similar message came
from John T. Flynn. New York
economist. Mr. Mundt said.
Mr.. Flynns telegram also protested
against the whole design TO Stif1e
discussion on and TO railroad through
this bill which is designed not to
protect American ships, but to get
us into this war
President Felix Morley Of Haver-
ford College telegraphed Representa-
tive Vorys, Republican, of Ohio.
committee member, that he was de-
CIning an invitation TO testify be-
cause he believed the administration
has gone too tar TO make presenta-
tions of my viewpoint of a practical
value IN these improperly aDbrevi-
ated hearings"
Mr. Morley's message said the act
was "unquestionably preserving our
peace effectively
NOrys Gaveled Down.
Before any witnesses were called.
Chairman Bloom vigorously gaveled
down attempts of Representative
VoryS to place certain material in
the committee record.
Representative VoryS sought per-
mission to record a letter which he
and three OCher Republican mem
bers had addressed to Chairman
Bloom, protesting against the linn
itation of the hearing TO two days.
together with kilograms received by
the chairman from opposition wit
neSSeS.
On motion of Representative
Johnson, Democrat of Texas, Rep
resentative Bloom ruled the request
should be considered in closed seS-
sion, to which Representative Vorys
replied that he wanted TO be heard
publicly.
The chairman has made a stump
speech here" the Ohioan said, and
I don't want a star chamber ses-
sion."
Criticized Minority Members.
He referred to a statement Repre-
sentative Bloom had made at the
opening criticizing unidentified mi
nority members for saying they had
submitted lists of witnesses they
desired to be heard.
Representative Johnson arose and
told Representative Vorys that
we're going to do things in a decent
way here if have anything to say
about it,"
After Representative Bloom had
gaveled the committee into silence.
the committee voted, 10 to s, with
one voting present" to go into
closed session. At that point Rep
reSentative Mundt got up and tried
W Hldhe d Statement,
You sit down, Mr. Mundt,"
yelled Representative Bloom, pound
ing his gaVel again.
Representative Bloom then or
dered the room cleared and an
nounced that the open session would
be resumed as soon as the question
of the record was settled.
Navy Has Guns for Plan.
Seeking to end the hearings
by nightfall. the committee al
lotted the anti-revisionists as much
time as sponsors of the change re-
ceived yesterday, when three cabinet
members testified there was COM
pelling reason for the modification.
Even now the Navy was reported
to have sufficient anti-aircraft guns
for the immediate needs of Amer
ican merchantmen.
Spurred by the testimony Of Sec
retaries Hull, Stimson and Knox
that the removal of the ban was
imperative, Chairman Bloom de-
clared the committee would not per-
nit any extension of the hearing.
Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of
Naval Operations, who was the ad-
ministration's final witness yester-
day, told the committee that an
important reason for arming mer-
chant ships was to give them some
defense against air attack. Later,
Representative Rogers, Republican,
of Massachusetts, a member of the
committee, said Admiral Stark had
authorized her to state that the
Navy had a sufficient number of
anti-aircraft guns for that purpose.
Doubts Were Expressed.
A few weeks ago there had been
doubts expressed that the Navy
would be able to spare anti-aircrsft
guns for mYchant ships, but in
formed sources said deliveries under
a s75,000000 appropriation for such
(see NEUTRALITY. Page Aid