Evening star., 1941-02-10

! zen army. MAJ. tPll, Joseph w
/ StilWell. Fort Ord commandant
asked about the reports at his
/ press conference. He said he did
not have anything to say at pres
ent. Stephen T, Early White
House press secretary. said he did
not know whether the reports
were true. but that he had not
checked on them officlallyD
Connally-Johnso Exchange.
When Senator Connally told Mr.
| Hart not to answer one question by
asking another. Senator Johnson
Republican, of California. protested
it was wholly improper" to instruct
the witness how to reply
NO more improper than for you tc
instruct the Senator from Texas,
Senator Connally retorted.
When Senator Connally added he
was not trying to confuse the witness
because he is a smart lawyer, may
be not as smart as the Senator from
California" Senator johnson
broke in. What do you mean by
that?"
Now, gentlemen. let us have
peace. at least in the committee,
Chairman George pleaded.
The colloquy ended amid laughter
from the audience.
Mother of U. :. Official Heard.
The committee also heard a plea
against the bill by Mrs. Rosa NJ
Farber. acting national chairman OF
the Mothers of the United States OF
America. organized in October, 1899
She said its members are not
pacidSts. are willing to have their
sons fight to defend this country
but 'repudiate the contention that
only on foreign continents can We
defend the United States of America
Another opposition witness was
Judge John A. Matthews of the
Chancery Court of Newark. N. j.
who spoke as an individual and the
father of seven sons and one daugh-
ter"
He charged the provisions of the
bill are acts of undeClared war" and
declared it was in Contravention OF
promises made TO the people in the
recent national election
AS the committee started its flna,
week of work on the aid bill, Sena-
tor Austin of Vermont counseled
the Republican party today against
blind opposition" to the legislation
Senator Austin, assistant minority
leader, already has backed the gen.
eral obiectives of the measure, ano
his new statement was interpreted
by some legislators as an indirect
effort to keep Senate opposition
from assuming the predominantly
Republican character of the fight on
the bill in the House.
When the House passed the bill
by a vote of 26O to 165 the finaI
roll call showed 1876 Republicans
lined up against the legislation with
25 Democrats, 3 Progressives.
Farm-Laborite and l American
Laborite. Twenty-four Republicans
and 236 Democrats voted for it.
Study of Changes Urged.
Senator Austin told neWsmen Re
publicans should give reasonable
study to possible changes in the
measure, but said nothing should be
done which would destroy" the
legisla ton.
1t is not for a few men to create
the impression that the Republican
party does not have faith in our
institutions and in our people" the
Vermont Senator said. The Re-
publican party should not adopt a
policy of blind opposition"
Chairman George expressed con-
f1dence that the measure would be
approved by the Foreign Relations
Committee by the end of this week
and Majority Leader Barkley pre-
dicted Senate passage by March /.
After concluding hearings with
Mr.. Wilkes testimony, the Foreign
Relations Committee will consider
numerous amendments in executive
session. The Democratic majority
arranged to meet separately. decide
on what, if any. amendments it
would accept, and then reject all
opposition proposals when the full
committee votes.
An informal poll indicated that
at least ID of the @ committee
members would vote for the bill in
substantially the form approved by
the House
Taft Proposes Amendments.
Senator Taft. Republican, of Ohio
foe of the measure, has proposed
seven amendments. one of which
would prohibit American ships from
entering war zones.
Another would forbid repair of
foreign ships in American ports, a
third would prevent the President
from transferring naval vessels to
foreign powers, and a fourth would
prohibit the disposal of any defense
article until after Congress had ap-
propriated money to carry on the
aid program
Senator Taft suggested, too, that
defense articles sent to warning
"democracies" should be limited To
those manufactured in this country
Another of his proposed amend
ments would require that any money
collected from nations beneftting
under the program be placed in the
Treasury as miscellaneous receipts
instead of being set up as revolving
fund for production of defense ma
terials.
Several opposition Senators re-
iterated today that they were con-