Evening star., 1941-02-25


means to accomplish that end.
The need to confer power on the
President is essential and that power
must include the authority to nego-
tiate and dispose (of military equip
mentl. With the limitations on the
Presidents powers as set forth in
the bill, l am satisfied that the grant
of basic authority is neither excess
sive nor unprecedented and that the
means are adapted to objectives de-
sired"
Senator Barbour said it was an
unacceptable conclusion" that Brit
| aims survival lis essential at this
crucial hour to the defense of the
United States"
Loss or capture of the British
fleet, he declared, would place on
the unprepared United States the
sole and complete responsibility for
the defense of the Western Hemi-
sphere"
Opposing the bill in the National
Radio Forum, sponsored by The
Star, Senator johnson, Republican,
of California, ranking minority
member of the Senate Foreign Re-
lations Committee, last night de-
i, clared that This is question of
war or peace"
If the bill is permitted to pass, he
said the people would find them
selves in war without knowing how
you got there"
# don't care what the British
Premier says about not wanting our
men, he said. 1T does not lie in
human nature to lure us into a war,
and then make no demands for our
manpower - We wouldn't be in
the war Is minutes until the cry
came from England to send our men,
and send them in great numbers,
and we'd be sending them.
"War-this bill is war.
Hush it as they may. yet on some
wilful day a cabinet member let the
secret slip, and even the Vice PreSi-
dent in his last address boldly
warns U.S."
CThe text of Senator Johnson's
address is on page BID
The danger of war provided the
theme of opposition speeches in the
general Senate debate yesterday
Senators La Toilette, Progressive, of
Wisconsin: Clark, Democrat, of
Idaho, and Danaher, Republican, of
Connecticut, urged that the bill be
killed, contending that was neces-
fn
of Europe's conflict.
Senator Wheeler told newsmen
that if it was enacted opponents
would stump the country from
Boston to California" in order Ito
keep this country out of war"
Senator La Toilette, quoting a
speech by his father before him on
the same floor to show that the
Versailles treatymakers were not
''peacemakers" but "warmakers," as
serted that modern war has be-
come such destructive process that
it cannot achieve its announced OBJ
jectives no matter how lofty or how
venal they may be-"
He appealed to his closely lis
bill and resume the job we dropped
a year ago"-that of making the
-four freedoms" recently pro-
pounded by President Roosevelt
prevail in America before we try
to ram them down the throats Of
people everywhere in the world"
His body vibrated with the We
hemence of his words as he de-
clared that the British aid measure
gives the President power to ere
/ ate a state of war" leaving to Con-
greSs merely the er-Reichstag
power of saying ia after the act
has been committed"
Would Stop Misleading Britain.
II urge that we stop misleading
the valiant defenders of Britain,
Greece and China into thinking we
are going to war" he concluded,
"or stop misleading the American
people into thinking that we are
not going to war
Senator Danaher asserted that
'this bill must and should fall be-
cause it empowers the President
to take us into any war, among any
nations, anywhere"
He declared that 'in a few short
years we have ranged from the
happy position where we had not an
enemy in the world to the sad sta
tuS of a nation which Is said now
to have not one friend in the
world"
And now," he continued, without
regard to our treaties, in contra
vention of our Constitution, despite
the scores of statutes designed for
our protection and embodying the
experience and the judgment of
! generations, we are asked to forswear
the rights we have fought for and
established under international law
and pass an act so that our Presi-
dent, at his discretion. may take us
into any war, among any nations,
anywhere"
Presidents Powers Discussed.
Senator Danaher devoted much of
his speech to a discussion of that
section of the bill empowering the
| President to "promulgate such rules
and regulations as may be necessary
and proper to carry out" the act
He cited the constitutional provision
that Congress shall have power to
dispose of and make all needful rules
and regulations respecting the terri
tory or other property belonging to
| the United States" and he asserted
that Congress was being asked to
forsake its sworn duty"
He then listed At acts relating to
the disposition of Government prop
erty, including military material,
which, he said, would be suspended
and rendered null and void by this
bill"
Senator Chandler, Democrat, of
Kentucky interrupted Senator Dan
aher at one point to contend that
this Nation would be sin danger" If
Germany were victorious in the
present war.
Japan would be freed in the Pa
ciflc." Senator Chandler declared,
| aopd uitIar would ho ohIo fo ryiuo