Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-28
Senator Chavez Asks Heed
} To Washington S Plea
special to the DETROIT TIMES

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S.-Fol-
lowing is a partial text of the ad-
dress delivered in the Senate
yesterday by Senator Dennis
Chavez of New Mexico, opposing
the enactment OF the lend-leaSe
or all-ald-to-Britain bill:
: / consider IL my duty as rep
reSentative of the sovereign people
TO balance the implications and
tateiul promises of the lend-lease
bill against a traditional Ameri-
can policy as adhered 10 by the
founding fathers, and outlined in
WaShington's farewell address.
Only five days ago both houses
OF Congress met to hear read our
first presidents farewell message.
j wonder how many Of our fellow
Citizens OF the AS states gave IL
sufficient thought; for never be-
fore IN the history of our country
have his words been as important
as today. Never before has his
legacy meants so much to the land
10 Whose freedom ne dedicated his
life and labor. This will not be
the first time these halls have
echoed TO those famous words
pray God ii may not be the last.
PRECEPTS VIOLATED
I submit that we have violated
every one OF the precepts OF sound
foreign policy handed down TO US
by the Father Of our Country ex-
cept one--we have not become
oTIrdHE1Td III T1G European VIII,
although assured by one of the
members OF the executive branch
that we are in the war"
OF course, i cannot take that
- too seriously for. in their great
isdom and foresight, George
SVash'ngton and his associates in
serted IN the Cons titution a pro-
vision whereby only the Congress.
the chosen and responsible repre-
.Sen,atiVes OF the people. may de-
clare war But ! do not blind my
self 10 the possibility OF an extra
constitutional entry upon q status
OF bclllgelency as | am aware that
war-llke acts may be provoked by
unneutfai conduct.
Not 10 say that since last juno
we have been altogether neutral;
quite the contrary. But what we
have done so far Is as nothing
compared 10 what can be done
under the provisions Of the pend
ing legislation. which l shall
shortly analyze.
do not impu,e any base or
selfish motives 10 any OF our men
IN public life Zach must answer
az the forum Of conscience for his
own acts Nevertheless, il is a
wel-known fact that love is blind
ana that too great an affection
Tor one cause OF one nation would
conceal from those harboring such
an affection FOR another country
the it4e interests Of their own.
GLANCE AT HISTORY
Let las consider briefly thcn the
past conduct OF our foreign rela-
tons, beginning With IT76. Not
without purpose did our first
president include a clear descrip-
ton o. our OWN position. contrast
ing u with the then existing Euro
peen situation.
Has our geographic position
changed? Are We not still a sepa-
rate hemisphere with TWO broad
oceans 20 protect our tanks? =
This much IS certain: That when
we have adhered TO Washington S
advice We have prospered, de-
velopcd- and extended our frontiers
the west. When We nave devil
Nod Ll4-rn his sound Policies. grief
and misunderstanding have fol-
lowed N the wake Of our mis-
takes
Official neutrality had its inccp-
ton almost from the beginning Of
Our independence when Washing
ton. confronted By the resurgent
Anglo-Frcnch struggle for deffai-
nance, chose this wise course.
American involvement in the
dynasiic and imperialiStic quar-
rels OF Europe seldom brought
benefits TO this continent.
TRUE INDEPENDENCE
This was the lesson learned from
the numerous wars in which we
had participated as part and
parcel of England's colonial en-
pIre. We have but 10 recall the
wars Of the seven .eenth and
eighteenth centuries. such as
Queen Anne'S War: the War of the
Spanish Succession. the War of
the Austrian Succession, and the
Seven Years War.
Approaching the truth OF the
views -eApreS@ed BY the founding