Evening star., 1941-04-18
No Arms Ships
Given Escort,
Navy Insists
Majority Leader Hits
Senator'S Notes as
'Bockstuirs Gossip
By 7. A, O'IEARY.

by khs "
Two letters which Senator
Tobey, Republican, of New
Hampshire presented as evidence
that the United States Navy is
conveying ships on the Atlantic
Ocean were minimized by Ma
jority Leader Barkley as "ru-
mors and backstairS gossip"
during a sharp exchange in the
Senate today.
Taking the floor shortly after the
noon meeting hour to renew his
demand that President Roosevelt
clarity his attitude on the convoy
issue, Senator Tobey read aloud a
letter from the relative of an un-
named sailor charging that the
American Navy has been engaged in
conveying for month. When this
and a letter from a Pennsylvania
businessman had been read, Senator
Barkley arose and said:
81. II took the liberty to confer this
morning with Secretary of the Navy
Knox and the Chief of Naval Oper-
ations, Admiral Harold r. Stark,
and both of them unequivocally and
emphatically authorized me to say
that not single ship, American or
foreign, carrying war supplies had
been or is being conveyed from any
place to any place"
Entitled to Be Accepted"
He further quoted them as saying
no orders had been received from
any one in a position to give such
orders, relating to conveys, and
added:
81 take it these statements by the
responsible heads of the department
are entitled to be accepted by the
American people in preference to
rumers and backstairs gossip OF peo-
pie who are willing to write letters
without giving their names, to the
effect that the President of the
United States, in this great crisis in
the country's history, is attempting
to deceive the American people or
is conniving to bring about the con-
voying of ships"
When Senator Barkley's statement
brought applause from the crowded
galleries, the majority leader sharp
~ admonished the visitors that they
were violating Senate rules. He said
he did not know whether the dem
onstration was intended for or
against him. but in either case it
should not be repeated.
mo Service to People"
When Senator Barkley asserted
persons in responsible positions
render no service to the American
people by encouraging suspicion that
the President is not acting in good
faith. Senator Tobey took the floor
again to declare ITS about time"
the heads of the Navy Department
enlightened the people.
Denying that he had created any
suspicion, Senator Tobey insisted it
came from the inner circles OF the
administration"
Senator Barkley pointed out that
the White House and the Navy De-
partment previously had denied the
convoy rumors and added
What further can they do?"
Senator Tobey came back with the
claim it had taken a speaking cam
paign on the radio and in the Sen
ate Ito smoke them out"
There wasn't anything to smoke
out except the boogey-boos of the
Senator from New Hampshire" Sem
ator Barkley retorted.
When Senator Tobey started to
question the majority leader as to
whether he thought conveys would
mean war, Senator Barkley said he
did not believe anybody could an
swer that question or foresee what
the future may hold.
Senator Reads Letter.
Senator Tobey had identified the
letter from the sailors relative
merely as coming from the Atlantic
seaboard. The letter reads as fol-
lows:
April Is, 1941.
"My Dear Senator Tobey:
IT know you are against convoy
ing by our Navy. Some information
has come to me which has shocked
me. I think I should pass it on to
you.
"A young relative is in the Navy
He has been at sea on service. He
was taken ill and put ashore in
order to go to hospital. I cannot
tell you the name of the port. In
fact, Should not write this at all
but I think you should know.
Ship Not Identified.
HE tells me that the United
States Navy has been conveying
(See TOBEY, Page 2-X0