Evening star., 1941-10-10
Ey the Associated Press.

Ey the Associated Press.
Congressional opponents of neu-
trality law revision decided today
they would have to wage an all
out fight against President RooSe-
velt's request for authority to arm
shipping, even though some in their
ranks were not dead set against the
idea of putting guns on merchant
men.
The big objective, Senator Taft
Republican, of OHIO, explained, was
TO preserve the laws existing pro-
visions prohibiting American-f1ae
merchantmen from operating in
combat zones or V0yaging TO bel
ligerent ports.
However, he said. many opposition
legislators had come to the con-
clusion that unless a substantial
vote could be mustered against the
ship-arming proposal in the House,
administration forces in the Senate
were likely to seek more sweeping
changes, which would end the curb
on ship movements. House hearings
are expected to start on Monday.
There are some who believe that
the arming Of ships might not be SO
bad in itself" Senator Taft told re-
porters, but when it is linked with
q proposal to send those vessels into
the war zone. the whole question
must be considered
Fish to Change Stand.
In the same vein, Representative
Fish, Republican, of New York,
ranking minority member of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee
said he would reverse his previous
decision to support the armed ship
proposal if it became apparent that
this was part of an administration
plot to get rid of the combat-zone
provision in the Senate"
In that case" he declared. ct will
be against the whole darn thing"
President Roosevelt told Congress-
yesterday, in specifically requesting
repeal of the ban on arming mer-
chantmen, that he hoped the legis-
lators would carry out the true in
tent Of the Lend-Lease Act by
making it possible for the United
States to deliver the articles to those
who are in a position to use them. 4"
In other words" he went on, II
ask for congressional action to i'm
plement congressional policy"
This meant, the President said,
that Congress out to give earnest
and early attention" to other ma jor
revisions of the Neutrality Act so
that this country would cease giving
the definite assistance which we now
are giving TO the aggressors.
For, in effect" his message said.
I'VE are inviting their control of the
seas by keeping our ships out of the
ports of our own friends.
1t is time for this country to stop
playing into Hitler's hands and to
unshackle our own"
The President pointed out that
while most of the war supplies au-
thoriZed by Congress were being de-
ivered, many of them were being
sunk, adding that as this country
approached full production requir-
ing the use of more ships it would
be increasingly necessary to de-
liver American goods under the
American flag"
The United States could not, he
went on, depend on the exiled gov
er7aments Of Norway and Holland to
furnish the ships needed to carry
supplies to countries fighting Hitler,
nor should its ships be forced to
masquerade" as they have done I'M
der the flags of sister American re-
publics.
This was promptly interpreted in
some quarters as an invitation for
immediate action to repeal the ban
against American ships entering
belligerent ports, but administra-