Evening star., 1941-01-22
MoNary Asks Change,
In Aid Bill 10 Curb
President S Powers
Measure Authorizes
Undeelored War;
Mormon Thomas Says
tContinued From First papn

Lie IIlClutIlI WAS CIOSeQ Wl6l
Mr.. Fish said: What I want the
record to show is that Mr. Willkie
repudiated his first statement and
now demands that the bill be
eouched in constitutional form"
Answering question by Mr. Fish,
MIR. Thomas emphatically declared
that the British Navy is not Ameri-
cas- first line of defense. 1T
would be disastrous" he said, for
America to make any such ad-
mission
He told the committee also that
survival of the British Empire is
not vital TO the United States. He
said that American democracy
would be in a bad way if it had to
depend on the survival of the
British Empire or any other en-
plre. He distinguished between the
British Empire and England and
said
Il pray God that England will
not be reduced to the status of a
vichy''
'Is England going Socialist or
L.
Fish.
Il sincerely hope that England
will become a democratic Socialist
country answered Mr.. Thomas.
Il hope that it will become & CO.
operative commonwealth instead of
q totalitarian government"
Wants More Explicit Data.
Mr.. Thomas said he would be more
assured if his labor party friends in
England were more explicit.
In reply to questions Mr.. Thomas
said he would not object to amend
ments Of the bill which would pre-
vent the President from giving away
any naval vessels, prevent the use
of naval vessels for Convoys. and
bring the bill within the provisions
Of the Constitution.
The most effective thing you
could do said Mr. Thomas, lis to
defeat the bill and approach the
problem de novo.'
During the fall months the PreSi-
dent was advocating aid to Great
Britain short of war" Senator Nc
Nary said in his statement. That
policy became a national anthem
There was unity OF thought.
Il favor that plan and shall sup
port earnestly an all-out policy of
aid to the democracies by every
method short of war. Ny great con-
Germ is to keep our country out Of
the conflicts of mass murder in
Europe Asia and Africa"
Senator McNary said he had not
had an opportunity. because of a
recent illness. to study the bill
thoroughly. He expressed the belief
that there should be limitation on
the life of the powers which would
be granted to the President. There
also should be, he said. fixed cell
ing" on the expenditures which
could be involved in the aid program
Wants Limitation in Bill.
II note" he continued. that the
President says he doesn't intend to
use conveys. There ought to be some
limitation written into the bill on his
power in that regard"
Senator McNary's outline of pro-
posed restrictions corresponded in
some respects, but differed in others.
with statements by two men whose
positions in Republican party affairs
have been closely aligned with his
One of these. Mr.. Willkie. who left
New York by plane this morning
for Britain, declared recently that
he favored the lease-lend bill with
reservation Likewise. Senator
Austin. who was acting minority
leader in Mr. McNary's absence. has
stated his position in terms of an
Endorsement in principle. with some
modification. rather than in the
terms of opposition which Mr.. Nc
Nary preferred.
In prepared statement. which he
read to the committee, Mr.. Thomas
said the lend-lease bill was a meas
ure which Americans who love de-
mocracy should consider on its
merits regardless of party lines,
presidential pressures and induce
ments." He charged that extraor-
dinary propaganda has been whipped
up in its behalf.
"It Is a bill to authorize unde-
eiared war in the name of peace.
and dictatorship in the name of de-
Tending democracy" he said.
Technique ASsailed.
"Amerlcan democracy is still so
strong that it will not be killed
even by the passage of this bill, but
- L. Il ,x, tl,o
house of its alleged friends. That
such bill should be introduced at
all at the request of the popular
leader. President Roosevelt on the
eve of the inauguration. after an
election campaign in which he gave
not the slightest hint of asking such
powers. is a technique completely
at variance with proper democratic
procedure. 1t cannot be justified
BY any event which has happened
since the first of November-the
President cannot possibly argue that
he received popular mandate for
this measure. Not even Mr.. Will
kie's hearty support with qualifi-
cations, which he never mentioned
when he addressed millions of peo-
pie through the Town Hall radio
on Thursday constitutes popular
mandate"
Mr.. Thomas charged that the bill
gives the President power to COM
NIT every conceivable act of war
except the dispatch abroad of large
armies He said he thought under
the breadth of powers given him,
the President could ignore all labor
laws insofar as they applied to the
production of defense articles. He
said he had been informed by COM
petent students that no such powers
as this bill contains were given to
President Wilson during tine World
War.
Mr.. Thomas said he had read the
testimony given by Secretary Hull
and other cabinet officers Their
statements, he said. had virtually
nothing tn do with the hill hut