SENATE DEBATE OPENS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 124, 19 February 1941, Page 8

SENATE DEBATE OPENS

Aid To Britain Bill

U.S. LEADERS CONFER (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, February 17. The Democratic leader, Senator Barkley, opened the Senate debate on the Aid to Britain Bill with a declaration that “a German victory would place in Nazi hands the weapons to destroy us.” Senator Barkley said that the United States would lace a hostile world if Britain was defeated. This was not a war merely of boundaries, but a war to impose upon the world a system of moral, economic, and political controls, to which it had never before been subjected in all its history. Such controls were diirnielrienlly opposed t<> the doctrine of self-govern-ment, and were avowedly antagonistic to Christianity, resulting in economic, religions and political bondage. “If Hitler and his allies are victorious,” said Senator Barkley, “they will control the foreign exchange, trade, and raw materials of Europe and Asia, including materials vital to our national defence. They will also control investments and stocks in the Western Hemisphere outside the United States, which were previously held, by Hutch, Belgian, Scandinavian, Polish, Czech, French, and British countries. ' "Those investments, in the hands of the Axis Powers, could be used for economic, commercial and political pressure against the United States. "No doubt Hitler’s intentions are to impose this revolting system on the whole world, including the . United States, We already recognize it as an inhuman and bestial revolution against every freedom for which men have striven through centuries of hardship. “The present war is an attack against all the moral and religious standards "which have lifted our civilization from the depths of barbarism and paganism.” ~ Notice to the World. The Assistant Republican Beader, Senator Austin, followed Senator Barkley in the debate, declaring that the passage of the measure would serve notice to the world that Congress was opposed to peace so long as Hitler was in a position to dictate its terms. President Roosevelt summoned the Secretaries of the Treasury, War, Navy and Agriculture, and the Federal Budget Director to a conference with Mr. Hopkins in order to make plans for putting into effect the Aid to Britain i Bill. „ . i After the conference, the \ ice-1 resident. Mr. Wallace, said Britain might eventually need vast quantities of gram mid meat.. He indicated that it was uunecessary to change the language of the Bill to enable the President to send food shipments. The Ambassador-designate to London. Mr. Winant. is to have a final conference with the Secretary of State, Mr. Hull, today before leaving for Dondon by the Atlantic Clipper.