Evening star., 1946-04-29
Absences in Senate
May Reduce Margin
Backing British Loan
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

The Senate. driving toward a
vote late this week on the So
750, 900 900 British loan, may find
a dozen members absent at roll
call time.
With both sides predicting a nip
and-tuck battle. the absence-or
presence-of these Senators could
determine the outcome.
Some, such as Senators Glass,
Democrat. of Virginia, and Bailey,
Democrat, Of North Carolina, are
Ill. Others. including Bilbo, Demo-
crat, of Mississippi, and Gossett,
Democrat, of Idaho. are in their
home States campaigning. Senators
Connally. Democrat, of Texas, and
Vandenberg. Republican. of Mich
igan, are in Paris as advisers to
Secretary of State Byrnes at the
foreign ministers conference.
OF these and six others listed
privately as likely absentees, seven
either have announced for the
credit arrangement or are reported
veering in that direction. Two are
definitely against it, and another
has indicated he probably will vote
no" The other two have not
made known their positions.
Thus the administration glumly
faces a situation which practically
cancels the narrow lead run up by
loan supporters in a necessarily in
complete poll of the Senators. The
latest count of those willing to state
their positions publicly showed 80
for the loan, 27 against
A complicating factor is the diff
ficulty the administration is en-
countering attempting to arrange
"llve"-or binding-pairs for the
voting
A pair" is device by which two
Senators on opposite sides of an
issue agree to refrain from voting
The net effect is the same as if each
voted. except that the roll call totals
are smaller.
An ordinary pair. on questions of
minor interest, permits one or both
Of the paired members to be absent
without fear of criticism. But OBJ
tanning live pairs on such a con-
troversial subject as the British loan
is more difficult.
Under live pair" one of the
parties to the arrangement may be
absent and the other, while pres
ent, must refrain from casting his
hHopohQrc oyfr nj he
tant to enter into live pairs" on
controversial matters, because it is
difficult TO explain to constituents
why vote which might have swung
or defeated measure was withheld
Majority Leader Barkley is urging
the Senators to get down to business
on the loan after many days of de-
bate. He said he is hopeful that the
voting on proposed amendments
may begin by midweek.
Meanwhile, supporters of one
amendment contended they gained
important ground by 1celand,s an
nouncement over the week end that
that island country in the North
Atlantic had rejected American re-
quests for leases on three wartime
military bases.
Senator, Mcfarland, Democrat. of
Arizona, proposed the pending
amendment which would require
England to yield title to Atlantic
bases now under 99-year lease to
this country before the British could
draw IN tho lion
While the Icelandic action has
no direct bearing en- the. Senate
debate, Senator johnson, Democrat
of Colorado, told reporter it sug-
gests that we are few wears late
IN our request for bases there-we
should have asked when they were
in danger"
Adding that I'VE may be late on
all OF our requests Senator John
son said definite understandings
about the use of American built
bases on British soil should be made
"a part of the loan agreement.
Senator Barkley has contended
any amendment to the loan bill
would nullify the entire credit ar
rangement and block final action
on the matter this year.