Evening star., 1941-05-07
flying American planes, make a
Shanhles of Toxic"


shambles of Toxic
Repeatedly, Senator Pepper, who
has been a strong administration
supporter ON both foreign and do
mestic issues, decried what he re-
garded as a lack of government
leadership. The people were ready
to go ahead along the course he
had outlined, he asserted, if an
authoritative and determined lead
ership says that is what should be
done.
Gibed for Leaving.
Then. he left the floor, to the
disappointment of several Senators
whom Senator Pepper had waved
aside when they sought to interrupt
his speech to fire questions at him.
Gliding at the Floridian for leaving,
Senators Clark, Democrat of Mis-
souri,, and McCarran, Democrat of
Nevada, swung swiftly to the attack.
Senator Clark called Senator Pep
per "one of the most adept and
vociferous advocates of Hitlerism in
the world" accused him of being an
advocate of dictatorship for this
country" and asserted:
MY theory is that the Senator
from Florida will get us into this
war before We have chance to vote
upon it."
Senator McCarran raised the
question whether Senator Pepper
was speaking for the administration
and called the Pepper speech a
declaration of war, not against
those who would challenge our sys-
tenn of government, but against the
entire world" He urged that the
Nation concentrate on building its
own defenses so that whenever an
invader appears the country will be
able to defend itself.
After speeches by the President
and Willkie," Senator Nye, Repub-
lican. of North Dakota told report
ers, Now come Pepper and Stim-
son. Today the organized inter-
ventionists will flood Washington
with messages supporting them.
They are just some more trial
balloons for involvement, but they
can be quickly punctured if the un-
organized majority who are against
conveys can make their position
known"
Mr.. Stimson, who made no mem
tion Of conveys, spoke with gravity
last night of Britain's imperiled life
lines and declared Germany was
making her peak efforts to sever
those supply routes.
In the face of this threat. ne
said, the lease-lend program with
all It's enormous appropriations is
not sufficient" The question. as
he saw 1t, was the delivery to Great
Britain of the supplies the United
States was shipping.
II today" he continued, "the
Navy should make secure the seas
for the delivery of our munitions
to Great Britain, it will render as
great a service to our country and
to the preservation Of American
freedom as it has ever rendered In
all its glorious history.
Supplementing the efforts of the
British Navy, 1t can render secure
all OF the oceans, north and south.
east and west, which surround our
continent. In that way it can help
TO hold in check the onward rush
OF the tide of Nazism until the other
defense forces Of all the democra-
cles are completed.
Warns Against Delay.
III We should allow the present
strategic moment to pass until the
power Of the British Navy is gone,
the power of our Navy would be-
come merely secondary power in
stead Of the decisive and winning
power in the world contest.
After providing for billions worth
OF munitions to carry on the defense
OF our freedom, and while we hold
IN our hands the instrument ready
and able to make all these steps
effective, shall we now finch and
permit these munitions to be sunk
In the Atlantic ocean,"
Our entire history" he said, an
swering his own question, shows
no precedent to make such a sup
position credible. Neither the Gov
ernment nor people of the United
States have ever given occasion to
make any one believe that such an
act of responsibility and indecision
would be possible
Mr.. Stimson, it was noted. made
no specific suggestions as to how
the Navy should be used. Some in
formed sources considered this sig
nificant, for they believe that con-
voys may not be the best system un-
der present war conditions, and that
more effective tactics could be
worked out if the United States
Fleet and the Royal Navy were op-
Grating jointly.
Millions of Americans are getting
sick of that story" he decared add
ing that the United States must
act like a great Nation" if 1t is TO
continue as one.
More Direct Language.
That night both Secretary of
State Hull and Secretary Knox used
more direct language.
Mr.. Hull declared the Nations
policy was that aid-to-Britain
must reach its destination in the
shortest of time and in the maxi
mum quantity. So-ways must be
found to do this"
Mr.. Knox said fatty: I'VE cannot
allow our goods to be sunk in the
Atlantic. We shall be beaten if
they do. We must see this job
through. This is our fight"
Last week Secretary of Commerce
Jones told the United States
Chamber of Commerce that I'VE
have chosen our course and should
not waste too much time over road
maps"
There has been no intimation
from official sources as to how much,
II any, lease-lend material has been
lost at sea. The Red Cross an
nounced yesterday, however, that
out OF the $l4,000000 In supplies the
organization has started for Britain.
$1,056,000 worth has gone to the
bottom.