Evening star., 1941-01-21

American people would not go to
war If one of our ships was sunk by
| the Germans while carrying goods
to Britain, would not object to the
use of our ships When 1t comes to
repairing British Warships in our
ports, there seems to be no chance
of the American people wanting to
go to war because of that, but it is
certain that Americans would not
permit any one to knock off our
ships without fighting
DestrOyers' Transfer Cited.
Mr. Fish wanted to know whether
Mr.. Kennedy thought the transfer
of American naval vessels to the
British would be considered an act
of war.
Mr.. Kennedy replied that so de-
stroyers had been transferred to
Britain in exchange for naval bases
and that no war had resulted
But those vessels were traded for
naval bases Mr.. Fish commented.
Il am asking now about giving them
away"
I'm sure the same arrangements
time we wanted to transfer naval
vessels replied Mr.. Kennedy, amid
considerable laughter in the large
audience that crowded the COM
mittee room.
Johnson Takes Up questioning.
Representative johnson. Demo-
crat, of Texas took up the question:
ing. He asked if in his recent radio
address ne had not favored the
utmost aid to Britain as being in
the interest OF the United States.
Mr.. Kennedy agreed. Mr., johnson
also said that MI Kennedy had
agreed the fall of Britain would be
detrimental to the United States.
You believe. do you not asked
Mr.. Johnson. that we should arm
as speedily as possible?"
Yes answered Mr.. Kennedy.
Every day of delay makes it a
day too late
MI Kennedy said the morale of
the British people was remarkably
good.
The people in England, he said,
are in far less of turmoil than
the people I've met since 1 came
back 10 the United States
Would you be willing to have
an amendment written into this
bill fixing a time limit for its op-
eration?' asked Mr.. Eaton.
Yes" answered Mr.. Kennedy.
Mr.. Eaton asked if Mr.. Kennedy
would be willing to have an amend
ment fixing the amount of money
that could be expended under the
terms of the bill
Mr.. Kennedy replied that seemed
to be entirely reasonable and, il it
should become necessary to eXpend
more money, the amount could then
be increased by Congress
In my seven years here in the
Government service the question
of giving money has never seemed
to bother anybody" said Mi Ken
nedv, drawing a laugh from his
audience.
Tinkhsm PropoundS Queries.
When Representative Tlnkham
took the witness over he began
long series of questions on develop
ments in Europe while Mr.. Kennedy
was in London. but assured the Am
bassadOr he would not press for an
swers on any that would embarrass
him. AS result. many of the queS-
tons were read. objected to by other
committee members and left in the
Record unanswered. Mr.. Tinkham
said he was satisfied because he
merely wanted the questions in the
record, but Chairman Bloom pro-
tested that the procedure was unfair
because it put Mr.. Kennedy in the
pc"ition Of declining to answer.
When Mr.. Tinkham asked the
Ambassador to tell what he thought
the effects would be in this country
if the United States is drawn into
war, he replied:
IF this develops into a war last
ing any length Of time, England will
be in no position to pay for orders
in the United States. We will suffer
a disloCation of trade, and loss of
all foreign markets It would devel-
op terrific war debt that would be
such burden on this country that
anything could happen
Remarks Explained.
Mr.. Tinkham took the witness
again over the question Of whether
he had once said England is no
longer a democracy"
Reiterating that his remarks had
been misinterpreted by an inter-
viewer, he explained he was point
ing out that the British. at the out
break of the war, passed bill in
two and a half hours "and democ-
racv went out the window"
But that happens in time of
war" he continued, and that does
not mean that some form of DEM
ocracy will not later return"
Are there any signs of England
going Communistic " asked Mr..
Tinkham
81 saw no signs of that"
Mr.. Kennedy said he did not care
to answer a question by Mr.. Tink-
ham as to whether he had seen any
evidence of efforts by England or