Evening star., 1941-10-27
Vdndenberg
Sees War if
u. ). Arms Ships
ConnoIIy Says
America Shouldn't
Quit Secs for Nozis
Earlier Story on Page AID
By i. A. OLEARY.

Sending American merchant ships
through combat zones TO belligerent
ports will lead the United States into
"a shooting war on two oceans"
Senator Vandenberg, Republican, Of
Michigan, predicted this afternoon
in launching the opposition TO the
pending repeal of vital sections of
the neutrality law.
The Michigan Senator took the
floor after Chairman Connally,
sounding the opening plea for the
bill, had asserted Hitler is sinking
American ships outside combat
zones, and that America should not
get off the high seas at the dictates
of Hitler.
Senator Vandenberg said he could
foreSee that the first armed mer-
chant ships, carrying American
goods through the German blockade,
would be followed shortly by the
first American transport taking the
second A. E. F. TO Europe"
Cites shallow Theory"
After the passage of this bill, he
said. the recognition of a state of
war will be a mere formality. The
Senator from Michigan said he could
understand the viewpoint OF those
who are ready to accept this and
who think the United States is not
going far enough
But" he continued, II cannot
understand those who favor it on the
shallow, transparent theory that We
are again striving to keep out of
the war"
After predicting the merchant
ships would soon be followed by
troop transports, Senator Vanden-
berg said. Indeed, the Senate For
eign Relations Committee has al
ready written that prospectus"
This bill. he asserted. leaves no
further room for the anesthetic
that We are still on the road to
peace, which has been constantly
proclaimed by the President"
Middle of the Road View.
Senator Vandenberg said he does
tremistS-thoSe who would not 60
to war for any reason, or those who
would 60 in at any cost.
Il want to deal in unemotional
facts Mr.. President" he continued.
Il recognize that Hitler may force
us into the war. or get the Mikado's
militarists to do it for him. If that
happens l want to fight it with
every resource at our command"
Therefore, he said, whenever a
foreign policy has been laid down
by the President and majority of
the Congress, he will support it,
as he has supported lease-lend ap-
preparations once that policy was
laid down, although he opposed its
original adoption. But he does not
adhere. he said, to any theory of
national unity that commits him to
new policies before they are adopted.
British Victory Vital to U. S.
1T is my conviction that we
should stay out Of a shooting war,
and avoid any policy that may need
lCSSly SCU uS al, IlC uCIldI Gu.
Senator Vandenberg agreed, he
said, that British victory and the
defeat of Hitler are both important
to the United States.
But these things are not indis-
pensable to our successful survival,
no matter who wins the war. If we
attend to our hemisphere he con-
tinued
Stop Until We Are Ready.
The Michigan Senator argued
that this country can be of greater
assistance to England as a neutral
and urged that I'VE stop at our pres
ent commitments until we are DELHI
erately and consciously ready to go
all the way"
He announced his opposition not
only to the broad repeal in the Sem
ate bill, but also to the limited arm
ing of ships in the House bill, on the
ground they create new hazard |
without compensating advantage
He expressed his belief the bill |
violates the desire and expectation"
OF majority of the American peo-
pie, and that it paves the way for a
set of circumstances that will take |
(See NEUTRALITY, Page 2-xD