Evening star., 1941-02-10
British Aid
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the danger of foreign war" Senator
Lodge asserted, land the danger Of
totalitarian control at home, but 1t
enables the President at his discre-
ton to enter into such alliances with
such foreign nations as suit him.
Most of lis had thought that an al
lance with a foreign government
was q matter to be embodied in a
treaty and ratified by two-thirds
vote of the Senate. That is what our
Constitution says. That is what we
have always done in the past. If the
President alone is to have the power
to put the United States into al
lance with foreign countries, the
people ought to know it."
Says Bankers Fight Democracy.
Mr.. Curran said during his testi-
mony that IF we fear Hitler pene-
tration in Latin America, why not
work for democracy down there?
The main reason, in our opinion, is
that democracy in Latin America IS
about the last thing that some
American industrialists and bankers
want"
In fact" he continued, there is
every reason to believe that they
fear democracy in Latin America
more than they fear Hitler"
Turning to the shipping phase Of
the present emergency, Mr.. Curran
testified:
Just a few weeks ago Congress
appropriated $3O0,OO000 to build
300 new merchant ships. This was
a special construction program, an
addition to the regular five-year
building program.
Since the beginning of the war.
however. the Maritime Commission
has approved the sale or transfer
of more than 800 ships TO foreign
countries, thus depicting. the mer-
chant fleets we are supposed to be
building up. The press has carried
stories TO the effect that material
needed in our defense is lying in
warehouses in foreign ports be-
cause OF lack of tonnage TO bring
it here.
Britain's Shipping at Peak.
IF that seems Illogical, what
about this? Most of these trans
fers are to Great Britain. Yet
Great Britain has more shipping
under her control now than ever
before in her long maritime his
tory. It is not generally known
but upon the invasion of the various
countries in Europe, Great Britain
acquired 100000 additional tons
of shipping which gave her As per
cent of the worlds total merchant
shipping.
The Joker is that a large part OF
this tonnage is not being used for
war purposes. II the British gov
ernment wants ships for war pur-
poses so badly. let her use these
ships. Then we can keep our own
ships at home They refuse TO allow
American shipping to take over
these trade routes even temporarily
We would like to know why"
Mr.. Curran charged "a great
propaganda campaign is being con-
Quoted in this country to confuse
the American people and make them
believe that the passage of the
lease-lend bill and the giving of all
aid to Britain, would be the means
of keeping us out of war.
The labor leader also asserted
there are forces in this country
bankers, industrialists, ship owners
who see in this war an oppor-
tunity to enrich themselves at the
expense of their European rivals
They see a chance to get themselves
q slice of the gigantic colonial en-
pire built up by the great powers
of Europe-empires which they are
realistic enough to know are the
real spoils of this war
Discussing recent demands in
Congress for legislation to prevent
labor tie-ups in defense industries
Mr. Curran testified:
President Roosevelt. in recent
fireside chat. said that strikes in
defense industries would not be toll
Grated. Well we know what that
means. If strikes are not tolerated
it means that manufacturers, no
matter what profits they make, can
cut wages and lengthen hours in
their plants-and the workers have
no defense"