Evening star., 1941-02-08
Text of London Statement
Former Candidate Denounces Aid
Measure, Fovors Direct Subsidy to England
By the Associated Press.

me teTt OF AV M. Lannon'S
prepared statement on the Brit
ish-oid bill, delipered today be-
fore the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee:
Congressional committee hearings
are for the purpose OF informing
not only members Of Congress, but
the people.
The American people are divided
In three great groups by the lease
lend bill. Members of one group
favor the bill as written. Another
opposed 1t. A third hasn't made up
It's mind
Generally all agree on future
would be less difficult If Britain
were to be victorious. For that reason
the vast majority favor aid to
Britain IN some measure
Before the election the aid to
Britain discussed was limited. The
lend and lease bill permits un-
limited aid. This Is distinct de-
parture from the promises of the
campaign. Therefore, the national
policy decided in the last campaign
was limited aid to England. There
was fundamental agreement on that
policy. The national policy on un-
limited aid was not decided because
It was not an issue. But this per-
mitS unlimited aid. That is one
of the compelling reasons I am op-
posed to it.
Wants Congress to Keep
Control of Aid to Britain.
In view Of the foreign policy
outlined in the Presidents fire. |
side chat, and message to Congress, |
I believe Congress should keep con-
troll of the aid We send England. |
There was nothing even remotely |
hinted in the last campaign that
We were to gamble on being involved
in war That issue never went to |
the jury. If for no other reason !
there should be the fullest debate
on this bill. After the World War
there grew up very prevalent |
feeling that we were tricked into
that war For the sake of national
unity we must not do anything to
encourage that feeling now.
Party lines disappear in the con-
sideration of this bill. as they
should. in a matter which ultimately
may involve life or death reaching
into every home
Members of these three groups
are exercising the great American
privilege of diSagreeing with each
other All are equally sincere and
earnest and patriotic.
There should be no politics in
the consideration of this bill. The
election was over last fall and the
citizens who opposed President
Roosevelt for reelection have ac-
cepted the result as Americans al
ways do. 1t remains for those who
supported him to adjourn politics.
Democracy cannot grow strong in
defending itself if its right arm Of
full and free expression is tied to its
side.
Protests Attempt to
Suppress Opinion.
I do not appear before this hon.
orable committee with the thought
that I can contribute to the infor-
nation you already possess, or can
easily acquire, on what is popularity
known As the lend and lease bill.
I appear more as private citizen
to protest against the organized at
tempt that is being made to suppress
public thinking and public opinion
in this country on this bill.
Every Republican that is opposing
this bill is being accused of doing so
from partisan or petty factional mo-
tives. We are constantly urged to put
our country above our party, the in
ference being that we are not. be-
cause We do not accept-hook, line,
and sinker-the proposals of the
President.
Never in all our history-not even
In the tragic and bitter Civil War
era-have We witnessed a President
attempting to gag the mouth of a
brilliant and sincere member of the
United States Senate, as we are now |
witnessing in the continued attacks
from the White House on Senator
Wheeler. '
Objective debate on this bill is
being lost sight Of Apparently, t
from the flood of propaganda, and ]
mounting tide of confusion and
hysteria, those who are opposed
to this bill have only short time
in which they will be able to speak. I
Naturally an issue meaning life 7
and death to millions of Ameri- I
can homes is being discussed with
Ali the intensity that deep COnVic- /
ton on such issues produces. Fam
lies are divided. Political parties g
are divided But today. freedom r
of debate and discussion on this /
subject is being discouraged in a
America by the flood of Govern t
ment propaganda and war hysteria. t
Warns of Destruction of Opposition. .
l think it is necessary that We r
meet this situation frankly and U
seriously. I do not think any worse t
thing can happen in the conquered i
countries than the destruction of
deliberative procedure in this coun- D
try, by the destruction of an op- ii
position. +,
I am not afraid of taxation Gn- s.
cidentally, I am more afraid that d
taxation will not be increased) even n
though it lowers the standard of n
living and gives us a lifetime OF
privation. But I do not want to b
live in a country where personal d
liberty of expression, by direct or a
indirect means, is being denied any h
citizen. i,
And when we have reached a time v
when even an able United States t
Senator can not lift his voice in
opposition to the Chief Executive d
without undergoing a systematic at t
tack to weaken his influenced think b
1t is time to protest. n
Even in these troublesome times, d
with the civilization we believe in o
cracking before our eyes I think it n
Is all to the good to argue things out.
Even though the public does wobble = =
around once in while In the long
run. the peoples collective judgment
must be right more often than o