The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-04-26

II WILL occur IN the FLORIDA Qrl.
marieS in May, and will involve
the denomination of the foremost
champion Of intervention in the
entire U. S. Senate-Claude Pep
per.
Pepper is running in q state
normally not isolat;onist. And for
that reason, politicos consider the
est more significant than that in
Wisconsin. For if Florida turns
against the rnan who was out even
ahead of President Roosevelt in
advocating aid to Britain, then it
will be considered very definite
sign of growing U. S. isolation.
Furthermore, it will affect the
Allied attitude toward the United
States.
Most people outside Florida do
not remember the way in which
Pepper stood out alone in the en-
tire Senate to demand aid, for the
AllieS-even before France had
fallen. However, 1t Is indelibly
stamped on the minds of those
who run the Foreign Offices in
London and Moscow. ~
At that time, May, 1910, be-
fore the world even dreamed
France would fall, Pepper intro
duced a resolution authorizing
the President to aid the Allies
by supplying them with air
equipment. ISoIationist news
papers scoffed. He got absO-
lutely no support from senatorial
colleagues.
When the resolution came up in
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, the vote was IL OPP
posed, one in favor. The one lone
lone vote was Peppers.
Yet, only a few months later,
the entire Congress approved the
destroyer deal and, early the
following year, put its OK on
lend-lease.
Pepper at first, however, had
got nowhere. After his first
defeat on air equipment, he in
troduced a second resolution auth
orizing all aid to the Allies short
Of war. Although getting no sup
port from the administration, he
proceeded to make five speeches
for this earliest Of all lend-leaes
proposals.
LONE BATTLER
Each day he delivered a new
speech. Finally, Senator Pat Har-
rison Of Mississippi, an admins
tration friend and no isolationist,
took Pepper aside.
Claude" he said, you've got
to stop all that. This country,s
not going to get into this fight
We're not going to help Eng
land. You're just wasting the
Senate's time, and breaking
your own heart"
Pepper was a close friend and
great adnnirer Of Harrison's. But
he said:
''Pat, I'd do anything in the
world for you. But this issue
is too big. Can't You see that
the world is falling around our
ears? It's more important than
amy other domestic issue, and
we've got to face IT,"
So Pepper kept on with his one
man virtual filibuster. He made
his fourth speech, then his fifth.
Once again, the Senate rejected
his plea.
Most people don't know it, but
Pepper got not even a word 70
thanks from the White House.
Down in his own State, they
called Claude ''ROoseveIt's rub.
Der stamp" But the real fact was
that he was a couple Of jumps
ahead Of the White House, which
at that time was worried over
Midwest isolationist sentiment.
80 the European chanceries,
where u. 8. politics are studied
Just as carefully as in the COP
or Democratic committees, will be
watching the Florida primaries to
see whether the electorate will re-
pudiatet the man who was out in
front for Intervention. II so, it
will be interpreted as much more
Insignificant than the Wisconsin
primaries, and Allied policy re-
gardtng q. s. cooperation in fu-