Evening star., 1941-10-20
Neutrality
Continued From First Page.)

and White voting against recon-
sidera ton.
Majority Leader Barkley pre-
dicted as he left the meeting that
the Senate will pass the ship arming
bill. and with the hearings ending
Friday, every effort will be made to
get vote next week.
Senator Nye, leading isolationist,
may not indicate how far we have
drifted away from representative
voice in government The North
Dakotan said one or two other Sem
ators indicated they agreed with
Senator Clark in his announcement
not to be bound by closed session.
While the committee was acting
Senators Gurney and Bridges pre-
pared to take the floor in the Senate
to launch a Republican move for
outright repeal of the Neutrality
Act.
1t had been revealed earlier that
these two Senators and Senator Aus
tin, Republican, of Vermont were
ready to take the lead in a fight
for repeal and had conferred with
Wendell L Willkie on this step
Mr. Willikie, 1910 Republican NOM
inee, has urged repeatedly that the
party stand for 'internationalism"
rather than "isolationism"
Declaring his belief that a Hitler
victory means disaster for this coun-
try, Senator Gurney in a state
ment prepared for delivery in the
Senate said, I'VE have come to the
limit of compromise
1T is time" he said, ito take full
steps in the necessary defense of
our country If those steps lead
in the direction of war, I say they
are still necessary. Let US repeal
the Neutrality Act in its entirety,
and thus announce to the world
that, in the preservation of our free
dom and in the defense of all prin-
ciples on which our Government is
based, we are through with half
measures"
DlodStCi SCCI IL lIS.
In one of the strongest attacks yet
made on the Neutrality Act, which
keeps American vessels from deliv-
ering aid to belligerent ports, Sem
ator Gurney continued:
For my part. am convinced that
we have but one course. This coun-
try faces disaster if Hitler wins.
am convinced we cannot live as a
free nation in a Nazified world.
Either We become a permanently
armed camp or we conform to Hit
lers form of government. Either
alternative is repugnant to true
Americans.
In proposing to repeal the clause
of the Neutrality Act that will allow
the arming of merchant vessels, we
are guilty Of another halfway
measure. Its purpose is ostensibly
to give these vessels better chance
to survive against the submarine
and dive bomber. Actually, we all
know, the purpose is to better as
sure the delivery of much-needed
munitions of war to Britain.
'It is obvious that Britain must
have increased deliveries. 1t is fur
ther obvious that she cannot sur
vive unless lend-lease materials
were actually delivered in greatly
increased quantities. We know that
the best that can be hoped for
under even nominally increased de-
liveries, is stalemate with Hitler
We know that everything short oi
complete victory is complete defeat
I'VE are even now at the cross
roads. One road leads to the grave
yard where the free governments OF
many nations already lie buried
The other leads to certain survival
for this country and resurrection
for those now lying crushed under
the iron cross.
Law Called Colossal Error.
"The neutrality law precipitated
the might of Hitler at the throat
of free people. I voted for it, ano
thought it was right. 1t seemed
logical two years ago. Today, II
stands out as a colossal error. II
stands in the way of this country