Evening star., 1941-02-14
Aid BiIIChanqe
To Meet Unity
Plea Discussed
BorkIey Says Senate
Will Pass 1t, z to !,
In Two Weeks
BACKGROUND

bAO hOnOC
Fire UeekS after it tcds intro
duced. Senate has received bill
empowering President to acquire
and lease or lend U1r materials
to Great Britain and other ma
tiOnS ThoSe defense is deemed
essential to safety OF United
States. Amended to safeguard
congressional poUerS, bill passed
House February 8 by 260-16S
Uote. Senate Foreign Relations
Committee approved measure,
IS TO 8, yesterday.
BY the Associated Press.
Confident that a clear-cut victory
for the British-aid bill was as good
as won, several administration lead.
ers suggested tentatively today that
the Senate might make one final
change in the measure to promote
national unity" and meet half
way" Wendell L. Wilkes proposal,
that immediate help be confined to
Britain, China and Greece. g
The wisdom of the suggestion,
however, was questioned at once by
one group of the bills supporters
who argued that such limitation
might have an undesirable effect on
French troops under Gen. Weygand
in North Africa.
Although we'll disposed toward
Mr. Willkie, these Senators felt that
the bill should hold out the tacit
promise that Gen. Weygand could
get supplies here if he decided TO
cast his lot with the British. They
also pointed out that the Foreign
Relations Committee had weighed
the Willkie proposal carefully and
decided against it.
Barkley Predicts 2-to-1 Victory.
The bill. approved. Is to 8, by tbs
Foreign Relations Committee yes
terday. will go to the floor for debate
Monday. Majority Leader Barkley
told reporters Two weeks should be
ample time for discussion" He said
there was no doubt that the bill
would 60 through by a vote Of
2 to l at least"
Meanwhile the Senate Military
Affairs Committee voted today to
call Gen. George C. Marshall, Army
chief of staff, before it for an
expression of his personal opinion
on what effect aid to Britain has
on American defense.
Gen. Marshall will be asked to
! ~
a closed session to be held at his
| convenience.
In formally reporting the House.
approved legislation without major
change. the Foreign Relations Com
mittee majority said it was 'prac-
tical safeguard aimed at keeping US
out of war" rather than "a war
measure"
The committee majority report,
written by Chairman George, de-
clared that two-point foreign pol
| icy would best serve the national
welfare.
The United States must strive
in all ways reasonably possible to
stay at peace with all the world.
/ And the United States must, in its
own interests, supply effective ma
terial aid to those countries whose
/ defense is vital to our defense" the
| report said.
Minority May Make Report.
"To the end that We may have
peace" the report continued, the
! bill authorizes aid to be given
promptly to those nations whose de-
| fense is vital to ours.
TO the end that we may have
| freedom. the bill casts the strength
Of American industry into the Strug-
gle against forces which may be di-
rected against US
Minority members Of the commit
tee were consulting today over
whether to submit report setting
forth their reasons for opposing the
legislation. They made it clear,
however. they would not consume
undue time in the Senate debate,
(See BRITISH AID, Page A-3)