Evening star., 1941-05-05
Roosevelt Talk Seen
P|edging Unlimited
Aid, but Not War
If President Is Making
FeeIer, Reaction Will
Surprise Him, Nye Says
By the Associated Press,

SurPrIse Him, Nye Says
By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelts declaration
that the American people "are ever
ready to fight again" for democracy
was interpreted in high administra-
tion quarters today as carrying
new promise of virtually unlimited
assistance to nations resisting ag-
greSSion.
This view was taken by some
members of the party which accom-
panied the President to Staunton,
Va, where he made the statement
yesterday in dedicating the BIRTH
place of Woodrow Wilson as a ma
tional shrine.
In Washington. Senator Nye, Re-
publican, of North Dakota, COM
mented that IF the President is
making a feeler for a declaration of
war he will be quickly surprised to
see that the people of America do
not want to be involved"
Officials in the presidential party
noted, on the other hand, that he
did not say Americans were ready
to go to war and drew distinction
between that and his actual words.
In the present instance. they said,
fight" was a broad term covering
strong material support of demo-
cratic nations rather than military
involvement in the war.
Pressure for Action Grows.
While the President spoke only of
principles, developments in Wash
ington indicated a growing pressure
for further specific action on the
problem of delivering war supplies
to Britain, and the whole subject
apparently was due for an early and
thorough airing in the Senate.
In the meantime, indications of
| increasing support for proposals to
assure delivery of war supplies to
Britain appeared in two quarters
here.
Wendell L. Willkie, the Repub-
| lican leader. declared that I'VE
should protect our cargoes of arms
and food to England" and he char
acterized the operations of the
United States neutrality patrol
| designed to provide safe lanes in
the Western Atlantic-as made
| quate.
At the Capitol, it was reported
that Senator Pepper. Democrat. of
/ Florida would make speech today
advocating war shipments to Brit
ain. and administration leaders said
/ they would not seek to avoid a
Senate showdown on a proposal by
Senator Tobey, Republican, of New
Hampshire to put Congress on rec
ord against naval conveys of war
shipments to Britain.
The administration recently
shelved the Tobey resolution in the
Senate Foreign Relations Commit
tee, but leaders said today they
would not resort to parliamentary
devices to prevent debate should
he force the issue to the floor. Dem
ocratic Leader Barkley predicted
that the proposal would be defeat
ed overwhelmingly.
Ship Measure Comes Up Soon.
Senator Tobey plans to offer the
resolution as an amendment to leg
islation authorizing the President to
take over foreign ships tied up in
American ports. This legislation will
reach the Senate in a few days
1t was slated for consideration In
the House today, with vote Tues
day Opponents despaired of de-
feating it. and concentrated their
strength behind an amendment to
prevent release of seized German
and Italian ships to England.
They argued that turning the
ships over to England would justify
an Axis declaration of war on the
United States. Supporters of the
measure, however, scoffed at this
contention. and insisted that steps
contemplated under the bill would
be perfectly proper.
Willkie Backs President.
Mr.. Willkie made his call for
stronger naval assistance to Britain
In talking with reporters here Sat-
urday. 1t was authoritatively re-
ported that he had promised Mr..
Roosevelt full support for any move
to assure deliveries to England.
Senator Nye commented that Mr..
Wlllkle was not representing the
preponderance of sentiment in the
Republican party in pledging sup
port for any action the President
might take.
In commenting on President
Roosevelt's assertion about Ameri-
cans being every ready to fight for
democracy, Senator Nye remarked
that the statement "can mean much
or mean little
Senator Clark, Democrat, of
Idaho, another critic of admins
tratlon policy, declared that if the
United States attempted TO fight
Tor democracy in our present con-
dltlon we will fail not only to save
1t abroad, but will destroy it at
home"