Evening star., 1941-10-28
Neutrality
Continued From First Page y

stitution and follow the course of
dictatorship to an undeclared war. >
Senator Taft. who was himself a
potential candidate. leveled his at
tack at Wendell L. Willkie. 1910 Re-
publican presidential nominee. as
well as at Mr. Roosevelt Touching
on last years campaign. he declared:
IF either candidate had taken
position in favor of repeal of the
Neutrality Act. or even the baning
of sl3000000000 to England. he
would have been Overwhelmingly de-
feated."
AS the second day of debate began
isolationist Senator Wheeler, Demo-
crat of Montana claimed there is a
possibility of defeating the part of
the bill authorizing American ships
to enter combat zones. Administra-
ZION spokesmen were still confident,
however, they have the votes to pass
the measure as it stands.
Continuing his attack on the Pres
ident's Navy Day speech, Senator
Taft declared:
He nag given unqualified corrobo-
ration to those who have sought to
convince the American people for
months that he was leading them
down the road to bloodshed while
constantly repeating pledges of
peace.
Now Mr. Roosevelt informs us
the shooting has started
He says: Very simply and very
bluntly, We are pledged to pull oul
own oar in the destruction of Hit
Ter BY what authority does the
President make that statement?
Who gave the pledge? Unless the
President is willing to admit that
he has assumed final. unconstitu-
tional and dictatorial powers, ther
his statement that such pledge
has been given is not worth the
paper it was written on for only
Congress can make such a pledge.
Misstatement Charged.
The Ohio Senator charged that
the attack on the destroyer Greer
was grossly misstated by the Presi-
dent. apparently for no purpose ex-
cept to create greater resentment.
I'VE still have not been told.
Senator Taft continued. whether
the Kearny was conveying British
ships or not"
In his Navy Day address last night
President Roosevelt Endorsed as
Honesty and realism" the action OF
the Foreign Relations Committee in
voting to eliminate the ban on
United States merchantmen sailing
into combat zones and this was con-
sidered new ammunition for the ad-
ministration's forces in putting the
bill through.
Senators Wheeler and Taft at.
tended a conference of opponents O.
the bill last night. Others present
we're Senators Clark of Missouri
Clark of Idaho, Gillette. Shipstead
Aiken, Butler, Brooks. La Toilette
johnson of California, Nye and Hol-
man.
Passage Expected.
Senator Van Nuvs. Democrat. ot
Indiana. an opponent of the bill
admitted he expected it to pass
but said he had been surprised tc
find that several Senators he did not
count on had indicated they woulo
vote against it.
Senator George, Democrat, O
Georgia. former chairman of tn.
Foreign Relations Committee, is sup.
porting the action of the committe,
In widening the scope of the HOUSE
bill to permit merchant ships to q
through combat zones and to bellig.
erent ports, as we'll as to arm then
against submarine attack. He ha.
reached the conclusion the Neu.
trality Act of 1899 no longer fits tn,
situation confronting the Unitee
States.
Majority Leader Barkley anc
Chairman Cpnnally of the Foreign
Relations Committee are now in
clined TO the belief vote can bt
reached in less than two weeks. They
are confident they have a majority
for the bill.
Although Senator Wheeler &C.
euiesced in the estimate of not more
than two weeks of debate, he de-
rounced the bill as another steY
Card war.
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