Evening star., 1941-02-09
House Passes Bill
To Aid Britain,
Vote 260 10 165
Congress Curb Kept;
Senate Hearings
To End Tuesday

Continued From First Page0
of the whole during long days
debate, bowled over amendment
after amendment, except those pro-
posed by the ma ajority members OF
the Foreign Affairs Committee.
1t turned down successfully
amendments offered by Representa-
tive Fish to prohibit the repair OF
British warships in American ports,
by Representative Wadsworth, Re-
publican, of New York to place a
.ceiling" of s7,0OO,OOOOOO on all ex-
penditures for aid to the democ-
racies and by Representative
Rankin, Democrat, of Montana to
prohibit the sending of American
soldiers and sailors beyond the wa
ters of the Western Hemisphere.
The Wadsworth amendment,
which was designed primarily to
keep the purse strings tight in the
hands of Congress and to obtain
as great unity as possible on the
bill, was defeated by standing vote
announced by Representative Coop
er of Tennessee, chairman OF the
committee of the whole, as 122 to 81.
Many of his Republican colleagues
declined to support the Wadsworth
proposal on the ground that it
placed the total sum far too high
and might be regarded as a blank
check for the President to spend up
to that figure. Had he placed the
figure as low as $4,000 100000 or S4,-
600 100000 the support would have
been, in all probability, much
greater.
Rayburn Takes Floor.
Both Speaker Rayburn and Ma
toritv Leader Mccormack took the
floor to speak in opposition to the
amendment, declaring that the
purse strings Of the Nation still re-
manned in the hands of Congress
because all appropriations made TO
carry out the provisions of the bill
would first have to be passed by
Congress They opposed any limita-
ton on the authorization of appro-
priations.
For week the momentous bill
was debated in the House. Yester-
day the galleries we're filled to ca
pacity with spectators. In the cor
ridors outside. hundreds of men and
women waited in line throughout
the day for admission.
The bill must now go to the Sen
ate. where opponents are prepared
to give it hot battle In the end
however, the measure is expected
to receive approval by substantial
vote and will then go to the Presi-
dent for his signature.
As finally passed the bill retains
all of its essential powers for aid
to the nations lighting aggression
The Foreign Affairs Committee
majority made a number Of con-
CesSons during the progress of tie
bill to obtain for the measure the
greatest possible measure of sup
port Among these we're time
limit on the life of the measure
June 30 1943; a limit on future
contracts that may be entered into
ending July |. 1916; a limit of ST..
300 900 900 on the value of Army anC
Navy defense material in stock OF
under appropriation which may be
sent abroad;Na stipulation that the
bill contains no new authority fol
using naval vessels for convoy duty
or sending American merchant
ships into war zones: a proviso that
before sending any Army and Navy
equipment abroad, the President
must consult the ranking officers
of the Army and the Navy and a
proviso that the President must
make reports at least every &c
DAYS to Congress on the admins
tration Of the bill, without disclos-
ing information which he considers
prejudicial to the defense of the
country.
Dirksen Amendment Adopted.
Only one amendment was adopted
over the opposition Of the admins
tratlon leaders-the amendment
offered by Representative DirkSen
Republican, Of Illinois, which pro-
vides that the powers granted under
the bill may be recalled by con-
current resolution of the two
Houses of Congress. The admins.
tration leaders decided finally tc
make no effort to strike the amend
ment from the bill, holding thai
1t would not interfere in any NAY
with the administration of thu
lease-lend bill, They also took the
position 1t would remove criticism
that the measure was a dictator
bill
Just before the final action or
the bill Representative Summers O.
Texas, veteran chairman of thu
House Judiciary Committee, warned
the members of the seriousness O.
the occasion.
This lease-lend bill is one of tn,
two or three most important meas
ures ever passed in Congress-" h
said. I'VE are definitely commit
ted to certain policies. We are goin
into deep waters that may be yer,
bloody waters. and don't make an
mistake about that. We have a,
the nations, with big armament
against us, except Great Britain. Il
my opinion we have been doing to-
much talking and not enough pre-
pairing,
Il hope the day may come whel
ne can consider fundamental thing
IN non-controversial manner
America cannot win unless it /
strong. unless it is At to win. Tha
is the job of the American people.
Il was all in favor of the Dirksel
amendment. ever though it wa
offered by Republican. I ADM
that it is hard to support Republica
amendments, but when so many ar
offered, as they have been to thi
bill, it is hard not to find one Q
two in favor"
Necessity for Bill Regretted.
Mr.. Summers said that he regret
ted the necessity of passing the bill
but he pointed out that Anglo-SaX
ons had not had many dictators, nc