Evening star., 1941-02-05
Debate
Continued From First Page

would not take any substantial
amount of the money already ap-
proprlated for national defense by
Congress for aid to the democracieS
The money so used. Mr.. Mccormack
SAID, would be taken from future
appropriations to be made by Con-
greSS.
Representative Fish, in charge of
the time used by opponents of the
bill, warned the House that at $3.50
pm. there were still 33 members
on his side who wanted to be heard
and suggested that the session might
run until midnight Immediately
several members asked leave to ex-
tend their remarks in the record
with out occupying time in debate
Short Attacks Bill.
An impaSSioned plea against the
bill followed by Representative
Short, Republican, of Missouri, who
declared that he has seen democ-
racy disappear in Germany, Russia,
Italy, England and other countries,
and has seen it under attack in this
country.
Now 1t is proposed that we en-
brace the very thing we detest," he
said, land turn over dictatorial
powers to one man, the President" !"
Mr.. Short said that the President
in the past has demanded Congress
pass laws violative of the Constitu-
ton. He recalled the contest over
the Supreme Court packing bill, the
Presidential purge" and the Presi-
dents violation of the third term
tradition.
He has asked and been granted
IN peacetime the right to conscript
men for military service and finally
he asks for this bill which has IRON
Eally been numbered House Bill
l776.'
Brings in Washington.
MIR. Short insisted that the i'm
pending bill is the antithesis of the
Constitution and of the beliefs ex-
pressed by Washington anG Jeffer-
son.
Il never believed Id live to see
the day when a good Irishman like
John Mccormack, the majority
leader, would say that Britain was
our first line of defense" continued
Mr.. Short. 1T is daStardly to say
the British are fighting our battles.
When was it that Britain ever
fought anybody's battle but her
own?"
DO YOU favor aid to Great Brit
ain?" Mr.. Short was asked from the
Democratic side.
Il favor aid to Great Britain. be-
gan Mr.. Short, only TO be inter-
rupted by a loud roar of laughter
and applause from the Democratic
side
But I love America first" Mr..
Short quickly added and l would
not put George III in place of
George Washington.
Another conference of the Demo-
cratic members of the Foreign At
fairs Committee on proposed amend
ments will be held tomorrow morn
ing just before the House meets to
begin consideration of an action on
amendments.
Mr.. Anderws told the House that
he believed it was safe to say that
80 per cent of the people of America
are against entry into the war.
Il say you could not find 40 mem
bers of this House ready to support
a declaration of war Mr.. Andrews
continued. 'Seventy-five per cent
of the people probably want to aid
England short of war. But if they
knew that this aid would get us into
war l believe the percentage would
drop perhaps to As per cent.
Doesn't Fear Invasion.
Il am not one of those who believe
that we are in danger of invasion, p"
Mr.. Andrews continued. saying that
he had listened to all the witnesses
who appeared before the House
Foreign Affairs Committee
He said that if the situation was
as bad as had been painted by some
of the witnesses and speakers on this
bill I'VE ought not to be discussing
this bill, but declaration of war"
Mr.. Andrews said that the men,
bers of the House should ponder
carefully the question lis this our
ware"
IF this is not our war" he said,
1--WE are not going to declare war
Representative Kee. Democrat of
West Virginia, a member of the
Foreign Affairs Committee, said
there had been RI Zh misrepre-
sentation of the bill. He undertook
to show the House that it was not
necessary to amend the bill as de-
manded by the minority. After
painting a dark picture of the world
situation and the course pursued by
the totalitarian governments, Mr
Kee declared that only the British
Empire stands between us and
Hitler"