ACTS CRITICIZED

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 112, 5 February 1941, Page 10

ACTS CRITICIZED

Halifax Accused Of Lobbying VISITS TO CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) WASHINGTON, February 3. In the course of the debate on the Aid to Britain Bill in the House of Representatives Air. E. ALcK. Dirksen demanded an explanation of Lord Halifax’s visits to Air. Sol Bloom and Senator AV'. F. George, chairmen of the House and Senate Foreign Affairs Committees respectively. Air. Dirksen stated that if Lord Halifax made any disclosures Congress should be informed. Mr. Bloom replied sharply: "Lord Halifax called at my office. He did not sneak in end everybody knew about it. We had a nice talk, the main subject of which was the exhibiting of Magna Carta at the World’s Fair.” Mr. Bloom added that Lord Halifax inquired into the timetable of Congressional procedure on the Aid / to Britain Bill.

Republican members guffawed at Mr. Bloom’s explanation, after which Mr. Dirksen said: “It is undeniable that it is extraordinarily unusual for an Ambassador to make contact with the chairman of a committee for the purpose of discussing the Congressional timetable.”

Mr. Roy Howard’s newspaper, the “World Telegram,” which opposes the Bill, has on the front page a story from its -Washington correspondent under the headlines, “Pressure on Congress Resented”—“lndiscretions by Halifax Will Lose Most Votes for Lend and Lease Bill.” The article described Lord Halifax’s visits to Mr. Bloom and Senator George as-“lobbying which is resented by Congress.” This follows criticism by isolationist America First Committee, which contends that Lord Halifax’s meetings with Mr. Bloom and .Senator George are highly improper. It sent a telegram to the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, requesting him to investigate the Ambassador’s conduct and make the findings public.