Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-12
Legislators
Call Convoys
Inevitable
War Would Not Follow
Conflict al Sea
BY PAUL MALLON

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE
w administration has SHE'D
away from committing itself on
conveying ships. That touchy
matter drew no convincing pub
lie explanation in the lease
lend debate. But on the inside
certain administration lieuten-
ants in Congress furnished one.
Privately, among their col
leagues. they could not see how
conveying could be avoided. yet,
they believed Mr.. Roosevelt had
an idea to keep the step from
leading to total war.
One quoted r. d. r. as say
ing many months ago nation
does not have to go to war just
because a few ships are sunk.
The Panay was bombed by the
Japs without causing a declara-
ton of war. circumstances OF
the Panay were. of course, far
different because Japan claimed
mistaken Identity, apologlzed.
paid indemnify
Bui the congressman thought
it probable, when Mr. Roosevelt
started conveying, he would
make it clear fighting would be
restricted to defense of the con-
voys and no declaration of war
would follow resulting conflicts
on the high seas.
Demand for conveys Is likely
to arise gradually among the
American people (perhaps with
prompting from organized Brit
ish aid societies and British de-
mand). 1t is only natural to
expect a popular demand for
protecting our deliveries to
Britain if we find our aid
thwarted by the German sub
marine campaign.
CLOAKROOM assignments for
~ handling the lend-lease bill
in the Senate have been made
as follows:
Senator George to lend his
dignified judicial manner TO
nominal handling; Floor Leader
Barley to do the talking; Pat
Harrison and Jim Byrnes 10 do
the fixing. Harrison told
friend it will be soft job. He
sees no difficulty.
Credit for getting the bill
through the House is mainly
Speaker Sam Rayburn's In his
first big job he proved himself
even sterner and stronger than
Garner. Even his Republican
opponents conversationally con-
coded his fairness.
A picture few observers viii
soon forget revealed Rayburn
backing Representative Voorhls
of California into a corner,
welding his forefinger like Il
sword point because Voorhis had
dared to offer an amendment
limiting the Presidents powers
TO one year.
Rayburn used not only his
finger. but both feet on his Dem
ocrats to keep them in line. He
had them so frightened. many
declined to appear in some of
tie last minute voting on Re-
publican amendments, but chose
refuge in the cloakroom. 1t was
fairly well understood in the
House that any Democrat who
voted for amendments was a
marked man.
DOPULAR headline title OF the
i lease-lend" bill is a decep-
tive misnomer. II is really a
lease-lend-sell-o -give-away bill.
Specific wording: sell, transfer
exchange. lease, lend, or other
wise dispose of.
The Presidents freedom TO
give is confirmed in the repay
ment provision which specifies.
repayment in kind or property
or any other direct or indirect
benefit which the President
deems satisfactory" The words
indirect benefit not only leave
the door wide open but remove
il from its hinges and throw
away the key.
CHURCHILL may we'll have
~ been entirely sincere in his
promise that he would not need
American troops this year. next
year, or any year he could fore
see. A new concept of the war
situation is developing among
military men, a concept which
no doubt furnished the basis of
the Churchill announcement.
Collapse of Italy is making it
increasingly clear that Britain
may win merely by failing to
lose. If the Hitler invasion of
Britain fails, and end of the war
could come promptly without
British invasion of the continent.
The troubles Hitler has recently
encountered in Free France and
the Balkans. and those the 1tal-
ians have met in Greece, show
what can happen if Germany
fails TO win decisively. Even
Russia might fall in against him
to promote internal collapse.
The last war ended before a
single Allied soldier reached
German soil