The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-01-23
(By Staff Writer)

Washington.-Wendell L. Will
kissstitular. head of the Republl-
can party, last week attempted to
throw monkey wrench into the
planned opposition to President
Roosevelt's "All-Out" aid-to-Brl-
tain bill by announcing that ne
favored the bills provisions with
the very minor reservation that
a two-year time limit be placed
on Presidential powers.
While proponents of the bill
are hailing his statements as a
fortnight, honest appraisal that
should effect immediate passage
of the bill in it's entirety, or with
a few minor changes, the OPPOSE
ton is cautiously silent. 1nfor-
mally, many Republican house
and senate members condemn the
former candidates statement, but
officially it is being ignored.
The opposition, however, is still
very voluble on the bill itself.
This bill, number 1776, as it hap
pens, proposes to give the Presl-
dent the unlimited right to sell,
transfer, exchange, lease, or 9TH
erwise dispose of any defense ar
ticle which the President may
deem advisable to transfer to an
other nation. It contains provls-
ions for goods to be manufactured
on government order and paid
for from the national treasury
these goods to be subject to trans
fer as the President orders. 1t
also carries a provision for the
repair of British warshlps IN
American ports-in fact, the BILL
as it stands, is so all-compassing,
that it gives the President power
to do everything except send men
to the aid of a country whose de-
Tense he may think vital to the
safety of the United States.
Dewey Attacks Bill
New York's District Attorney,
Thomas E. Dewey, came out with
a scathing indictment of the bill,
enumerating the unprecedented
powers it would give the Presl-
dent and stating: "This is the time
for national unity. The Presl-
dents proposal is a grave blow,
not only to national unity but to
all free government everywhere. "
Former President Hoover and
former Republican candidate, Al
fred M. Landon, also strongly
condemned the bill, the latter
calling it "the first step toward
dictatorship" Members of both
House and Senate joined in mi
nority condemnation and prom
ised a terrific battle before the
bill was passed. However, the
Presidents adherents backed it
strongly, many saying that its
provisions did not 60 far enough.
Representative Sol Bloom, Demo-
Graf of New York, and chairman
of the powerful House Foreign
Affairs Committee stated: This
bill follows the line of the Presl-
dents address, and if it accom-
plishes the purpose of giving aid
to the democracies, I have no
doubt that it will meet with
popular approval"
There undoubtedly will be
changes in the bill before it is
passed. The time limit which Mr..
Willkie thought advisable. will be
probably inserted. Certification
from the army and navy that
goods are not necessary for our
own defense requirements may
be demanded, but there is little
doubt that bill 1776 will pass both
House and, Senate without any
vital revisions.
Long Debate Expected
There has been some discussion
of voting a cloture in the Senate
to prevent a filibuster-but this
means, a limit could be placed on
debate. But such a move has
never been made when vital leg
islation was before the body, and
it is doubtful if it could be forced
through.
It is expected that debate may
last well into March before final
consideration. Despite condemna'
ton of the delaying tactics of the
opposition, it will be given q
thorough hearing and the country
will have every opportunity OF
making its opinion felt in Con-
gress.
The Latin American republics
may influence, many votes on the
provision of the bill which calls
for the repair of British ships in
American ports. This provision
would override the Declaration OF
Panama which the American Re-
publics entered into as a part Io1
their cooperation endeavor ;tc
keep war from the Americas. A
enoo;f;c mart of fhiS declaration