Evening star., 1941-01-11
Explanation OF "Lend-LeaSe"
Bill on Page A-9.
By J. A, OLEARY,

DN y. "A. " LLihfs
The administration lend-lease
plan to aid the embattled democ-
racies ran into a preliminary fight
over procedure today when the
House Military Affairs Committee
voted to claim jurisdiction over the
bill, which was referred Yesterday
to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
This parliamentary wrangle will
not delay the measure, however,
since the question is expected to be
decided by the House Monday with
out debate. The action of the mill
tary group was announced by Chair
man May after an executive session
this morning
The committee instructed him to
ask the Speaker to change the ref
erence of the bill. and if he sdheres
to his original action. the House will
be asked to vote on the question.
Efforts to modify the lend-lease
plan began to appear as House and
Senate committees prepared for an
early start on the measure next
week.
Time Limit Suggested.
Senator Austin of Vermont, acting
Republican leader, indicated
friendly attitude toward the basic
object of the bill, but suggested these
two changes:
A tWo-year limitation on the power
being conferred on the President to
determine the nature and extent of
defense equipment to be supplied the
democracies requirement that the
military and naval chiefs be con-
suited in determining how much de-
fense material can be spared.
At the same time. Chairman
George of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee indicated the bill
may need clarification to make sure
that outright gift of supplies is not
included in the lend-lease authority.
Senator George expressed the opin-
ion that the phrase "or otherwise
dispose of" was not intended to pro-
vide for gifts.
Passage Is Predicted.
Although isolationists.. particu-
larly in the Senate, lost no time in
beginning to form opposition lines,
observers at the Capitol predict the
measure will pass both houses with
out loss of any of its essential fea-
lures.
Senator Byrnes of South Carolina,
one of the administration chief
lieutenants, predicted airplanes, de-
stroyerS and cargo vessels probably
will be the major items supplied to
England under the bill.
While leaders are optimistic over
final approval. the question OF how
soon it can be passed is hard 10
answer. A decision is probable with
out delay in the House. where hear
ings start Tuesday, but the Senate's
traditional adherence to freedom Of
debate makes an extended battle
there likely.
A group of opponents Of the adj
miniStration' foreign policy, in
Guiding Senator Wheeler, Demo-
crat. of Montana; Clark, Democrat,
of Missouri and Johnson, Republl-
can, of California, began informal
discussion of the bill last night. A
fight, either to stop the measure or
curtail its power, was reflected in
the immediate comment yesterday
of a number of Senators who took
part in the battle over neutrality in
the fall OF 1899.
Skirmish in House.
Senator George, whose committee
will handle the issue in that branch,
refrained from discussing his per-
sonal views on it, but gave newspa-
permen his Interpretation of its
major features. He said he was sure
there will be a demand for open
hearings. but felt the decision as to
that will depend on what course the
House committee follows. While the
House Foreign Affairs Committee,
headed by Chairman Bloom, is eX-
pected to take testimony next week,
the Senate group will confer
Wednesday on its later procedure.
Mr.. Bloom hopes to complete hear
ings by Thursday.
That much of the opposition may
be directed at the delegation of
power to the President rather than
against aiding England was indi-
Gated in the comment of former
President Hoover, who said in New
York that "the first thing Congress
has to consider is the suggestion of
enormous surrender of its RESPONSE
bilities" He said it presents ques-
ton of preservation of democracy
in this country"
The scope of discretionary power
in the bill drew the fire of New
York's District Attorney Thomas E.
Dewey, an aspirant for the Repub-
lican presidential nomination last
year, who contended the measure
would bring an end to free gov
ernment III the United States and
would abolish the Congress for all
practical purposes"
Austin Urges Time Limit.
At the Capitol, however, Senator
Austin, who has upheld the admin
istration in aiding the democracies
against aggression, said that, while
reserving the right to give the de-
tails of the bill further study, he
felt that ION its face it appears to
be well devised to speed up national
defense in accordance with the
theory of the Presidents message"
at the opening of Congress.
This is a vast grant of power
without any limitation as to time
and circumstance" the Vermont
Senator added, in suggesting that an
expiration date should be inserted
as a constitutional safeguard, along
with a requirement that the Army
ISee CONCPESS pac. A-I0