The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-05-08
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WASHINGTON
(By Staff Correspondent
CONVOYS
WASHINGTON, May 8

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convoy or not to convoy?
That is the question of para
mount concern here following
statements on the subject by
President Roosevelt, Secretary of
Navy Knox and Secretary of
State Hull. All of their statements
emphasized these points: We are
pledged to give about aid to Eng
land. The people favor our stand
as the arsenal of Democracy"
We cannot let the billions of de-
tense materials we are producing
be sent to the bottom of the ocean
on their way to Britain. We must
take any steps necessary to make
certain that the lifelines to Bri-
tain are kept open.
None of them specifically rec
commended conveys, but all hint
ed that conveys might be neces-
sary. The attitude of the President
is to try to find some means short
of-convoys for getting supplies
across the Atlantic. The general
opinion is that short-of-convoys is
almost synonymous with short-of-
war.
The congressional anti-convoy
group, which is the anti-war
group headed by Senator Burton
K. Wheeler of Montana, has re-
peatedly told the American people
that conveys mean war. Letters
to congressman as we'll as public
opinion polls show that the ma
jority of people will expect war
if our navy is used for conveying
supply ships.
Aware of this feeling, the Presi-
dent is attempting to find sub
stitute for conveys which would
still be considered technically as
short-of-war. His present plan is
what he calls neutrality pa
troll by which our navy would
not escort ships but would patrol
the sea lanes to aid in keeping
them open. Although the ships
carrying war cargoeS would be
the beneficiaries of such a patrol,
we would technically be protect
ing the sea lanes as a defense
measure and would be operating
within the bounds of international
law.
Will Avoid Vote
A recent poll of congressman
showed a slight majority are
now personally in favor of con-
voys, but it is expected that any
vote on the subject will be
avoided. An anti-convoy resolu-
ton, which would tie the hands
of the government so far as con-
voys are concerned, has been
side-tracked. Even those who ia
vor it felt that its passage would
be too much encouragement to the
Axis powers-that it is better
to keep the threat of conveys even
If we can avoid using them.
A statement made by John D.
Rockefeller Jr., in which he asked
the President to supply conveys
has caused considerable stir here.
Mr.. Rockefeller said that he hated
war, but "for myself I would ra-
Their die fighting the brutal, bar
barous inhuman force represented
by Hitlerism than live in a world
that is dominated by that force"
He said that our production of
supplies is "valueless unless laid
down at Britain's door" and
urged prompt and effective ac-
ton" at any cost. Mr.. Rockefel-
Ter, who has in the past been
bitterly opposed to the New Deal
administration, also urged "a uni
ted public opinion solidly behind
the President.
Labor problems, which seemed
for time to be lessening, have
caused another furry Of demand
for laws to curb strikes-particu-
larly as a result of the Difficult
ties that had been encountered in
the coal industry.
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Despite delays, production is
going ahead at an increasingly
rapid pace. It is estimated that de-
liveries have already been made
on about $3,OOO,OOO,0OO worth of
defense orders.
TAX PLAN
A tax plan for paying for our
$19,O00,000,000 Of defense orders
is now being worked out and
practically everything we buy or
earn has been suggested as pos
sible source of revenue. No one
knows yet what the final tax law
will be but it is definite that an
effort will be made to raise 49,
5OO,O0O,O0O in addition to the ap-
proximatel y$9,OOO,000,000 which
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