Evening star., 1941-12-08
Administration Foes
Issue Calls for Unity
In War on Japan
Congressional Comment
Laden With Indignation
At Attack on Huwuii
BY the Associated Press.

posts yesterday brought immediate
expressions of indignation from
members of Congress and most
freely predicted that Congress would
adopt a declaration of war without
hesitation If President Roosevelt
asked for one.
Such vigorous critics and op-
ponents of the administrators for
eign policy as Senator Wheeler,
Democrat, Of Montana and Repre-
sentative Fish, Republican. OF New
York called for unity.
"The only thing now is to do our
best to lick hell out of them,"
Senator Wheeler said at Billings,
Mont. He added that he assumed a
war declaration would be made I'M
mediately, and declared the Japanese
must have gone crazy"
Mr.. Fish planned to make an ad-
dress in the House today ask
ing the American people ito present
a united front in support OF the
President of the United States, the
Commander in Chief Of the armed
forces"
Nye Promises Cooperation.
Senator Nye, Republican, Of North
Dakota, prominent isolationist. ad-
dressing an America First Commit
tee meeting at Pittsburgh, said:
1T Congress were to declare war.
I'm sure that every America Firster
would be cooperating and support
ing the Government in the winning
of that war in every way possible"
Senator vandenberg, Republican,
of Michigan, issued this statement:
'1 have fought every trend which
leads America to needless war, but
when war comes to us, stand for
the swiftest and most invincible
answer. The unprovoked Japanese
attack on American territory is the
brutual disclosure of purpose
which violates every element Of
civilized society. I would answer 1t
with every power at our disposal"
Senator Brown, Democrat. OF
Michigan, said: THE first day OF
the war was Japan's. The last day
will be ours. I favor the immediate
prosecution Of war with all the
vigor and power we can command"
Senator George, member and
former chairman Of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee. said an
open declaration Of war will give US
greater freedom Of action"
He said the attack might draw
the United States directly into the
European war. but not necessarily"
Russian collaboration with the
United States in fighting Japan.
he said, was a possible means OF
entry by this country into the
European conflict.
He called attention to the vast
distances in the Pacific" and warned
that 1T may take two or three years
to fight this war to the end"
Chairman May of the House Mil
itary Affairs Committee said he
favored immediate declaration Of
war, and described the attack as
'treachery personified."
There were calls, too, for the Ma
ton to keep calm. House Ma jority
Leader Mccormick said all Ameri-
cans must unite against the attack
but should remain calm but de-
termined and follow the leadership
of President Roosevelt"
Must Keep Heads.
Senator Van Nuys, Democrat Of
Indiana, called the situation dis.
tressing and crucial" and added:
Now Is the time to keep our
heads"
Chairman Reynolds Of the Senate
Military Affairs Committee, said:
I am 100 per cent against war. I
want to know all about what has
happened before I say anything
about declaring war"
He added that he blamed the
attack both on Japan's Axis COM
mltments and the desire of Great
Britain TO get us TO protect their
$4,000, 100000 investments in China
and to relieve forces that can be
sent elsewhere to fight"
Senator Thomas, Democrat. al
Utah commented: 1T (the Japanese
attack is an act Of desperate men
and will result as such acts gen.
orally do-in those mems own de.
struction. The Japanese govern.
ment has plainly gone mad"
Guffey Is Disappointed.
Other comment:
Senator Guffey, Democrat, Of
pennsylvania: Il am disappointed,
but not surprised, and favor an |
immediate declaration OF war"
Representative Eberharter, Demo-
crat. OF Pennsylvania: This coun-
try cannot permit any nation to at
tack our possessions or threaten our
sovereignty. There is only one thing |
Tor us to do and that is to 60 all |
out and try to destroy Japan's Navy |
completely as quickly as possible"
Senator Glass, Democrat, of Vr-
ginia: II have no comment. I'll |
communicate my own position when
the Senate meets"
Chairman Bloom of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee: we
are now facing facts rather than
possibilities and the United States
has never finched In the face OF
facts. The Army and Navy
Will take over the situation with
a united people behind them under
their Commander in Chief.
japanese Called Play.
Senator OMahoney, Democrat, Of
Wyoming: 1T seems that the Japa-
nese have called the play, and now
they'll have to take it. The decision
is out Of our hands. The japanese
are committing hari-kari."
Senator Johnson, Democrat, Of
Colorado: IF the report Is true,
and there is no satisfactory expla-
nation for this dastardly act, war
is inevitable"
Senator Clark, Democrat, of Mis-
scuri, frequently a vigorous critic Of
the administrations foreign policy,
said at his home in st. Louis that |
the time for argument had passed
and asserted he would vote to sup
port the President "on any recon-