The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-02-27
(By STAFF WRITER)

Wash, Feb. ~. - Inc week 5
debating on the lend-lease bill
has brought no new problems to
the fore. Led by Senator George,
Democrat of Georgia, the admin
istration forces started the week
by urging immediate enactment
Of the bill, and it is expected here
that it will 60 through with few
changes.
There has been a, sudden
change in sentiment here in re-
gard to compromises on the bill.
The proponents are vigorously
fighting any attempts to amend
the bill, and short of a freak such
as occurred when the amendment
to take powers away from the
President in the future was voted
into the House bill while DEM
ocratic members we're out to
lunch, it is extremely doubtful
that there will be further amend
ing.
Chairman Walsh, Democrat OF
Massachusetts,. of the Naval At
fairs Committee has put himself
on record as opposing conveying
of ships to Britain and has writ
ten an amendment which would
definitely forbid this. But this
amendment is benign fought on
the grounds that the House has
already written such section in
to the bill.
Would Prohibit Troops
Another proposal made by
Senator Ellender of Louisiana.
would prohibit the use of United
States troops outside this hemi-
sphere and American possessions,
but the Administration answers
that no move of this nature is
contemplated and such an amend
ment would just add extraneous
matter to the bill.
It seemed likely at the begin
ming of the week that Wendell
WILKES suggestion that tn e|
specific nations to receive aid be
named, stood good chance OF
enactment but the growing ten
sion in the Balkans and IN the
a very definite argument against
Far East has been seized upon as
such specific commitments.
It is pointed cut by administra-
ton forces that the governments
of such countries as Yugoslavia,
Bulgaria, Turkey, the Neither
lands and the East Indies which
might be considering resistance
against Axis aggression, might re-
consider if they thought that they
would be excluded from Amer
lean aid without. lengthy Congress
sional debate.
Yet, Senator Reyonlds of North
Carolina, who will probably sup
port the bill in most particulars,
is determined to press for an
amendment to exclude the Soviet
Union from any possible aid un-
der the measure.
None of these amendments ap-
pear to have a chance to 60 !
through, although Senator
Walsh's "no conveying pro-
posal has the best chance The
most optimistic estimate of OPP
position votes has been 80. and
the most pessimistic as low as IA. |
The main purpose of the opposi-
ton seems to be to express vol
uble concern about the war path
which they consider the admin
istration is treading and hope to |
invoke a note of caution into flu +;
ture policies.
Aid Continues
While the debate on the lend |
lease bill continues, aid to Britain !
has by no means been halted.
Since October. 1889. the United
States has supplied more than
$4,000 tons of cargo ships to Bri-
tain. an undetermined number of
airplanes and tons of supplies and
ammunition.
Our own defenses, too, are not
being overlooked. Development of
Guam and Samoa, Pacific islands,
as naval aviation ''looked sta
TONS was unanimously recon-
mended last week by the House
Naval Committee.
The fortification of Guam has
come up before in Congress, but
appropriations have never been
voted. With the uneasiness about
the Far East being voiced. how
ever, there is little doubt that it
will 90 through this time. In this
same bill is contained a provision
which would authorize construc-
ton of Notifications on the bases
leased from England
Not much is heard in Washing
ton about the taxes necessary to
provide for aid and our own de-
Tense, yet they will become a
r..