The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-11-26
BY "UNCENSORED"

On October II, Cordell Hull an
Lord Halifax signed a three-year trea
ty by which British owned or cor
trolled defense" operations in tn
United States would be exempt from
federal, state and local taxation. o.
October 81 President Roosevelt sen
the treaty to the senate with a lettel
urging approval ''in the interest o
national defense" Thursday, Novem
Der 10, the senate foreign relation,
committee began consideration of the
treaty in executive session. Present
were seven of the committees q
members (16 democrats and repub-
licans). Two of the seven were ad
ministration supporters Murray OF
Montana, who was acting chairman
and Carter Glass, honorary chairman
of Fight for Freedom Inc. The other
five were anti-administration Vanden-
berg, Clark (Mo), Gillette, Johnson
(Cal) and Capper
The language of the treaty, passed
on the sweeping provisions OF the
lend-lease act, is broad enough to ex-
empt practically any British property
or transaction in the us. The treaty
is reciprocal and would exempt cor
responding U. S. holdings in Britain.
Since state and local taxes, as well
as federal, would be waived, certain
areas in the U. S. would be deeply
concerned = particularly Connecticut,
Michigan and California, where the
British have heavy investments in
arms industries.
Proxy Vote
When the foreign relations commit
tee began consideration of this treaty,
the us. public still knew nothing
about it. AS it's implications un-
folded, Vandenberg, feeling that state
and local authorities ought to know
what they are in for, moved that the
treaty be released for publication. The
vote among the committee members
present was five to two in favor of
the motion, with Acting Chairman
Murray and Carter Glass dissenting.
Murray thereupon cast the proxies of
enough absentee administration sup
porters to defeat the motion After
one of the most heated exchanges in
senate history, the five thwarted SEN
ators departed and left the meeting to
the administration majority" Murray
and Glass, honorary chairman of Fight
for Freedom Inc.
The treaty is still officially secret
from the us. public. Administration
supporters have admitted they were
afraid chat publication of its terms
might jeopardize its passage. Appar-
emily they plan to keep it secret until
it reaches the senate floor and then
that do not understand
the danger to democracy have had an
to be heard.
Anti-administration congressman are
less worried about the tax-exemption
treaty than they are about the grow
ing tendency to cut short hearings on
vital issues or to hold them in secret
The purpose of legislative hearings
mas never been solely to convince leg
slators. Today they are perhaps
more important as method by which
he public can express itself and edu-
cate itself.
Air Warfare
Announcements by the British of |
zig air raids on the continent con-
listing of perhaps 500 planes, together
With the rather pointed admission that
rom 40 to so British planes were lost
n these raids, is considered by Wash
ngton military observers to have spe-
;ial significance. The British, it is
cit, would not have advertised their
losses too readily unless
hey had a reason. The reason, ac-
ording to these military circles, is
IS follows:
The British land the Germans) real
ze that these raids are more costly
han they are worth. They want to
underline that fact for the benefit of
soviet Russia which has been insist
ng on large-scale raids. They want
0 show the Soviets that such raids
re not worth the effort.
AS matter of fact, both long day
aids (Which always involve enormous
osses) and night raids are now con-