CRUSHING BLOW TO AXIS SEEN

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 44, 15 November 1941, Page 9

CRUSHING BLOW TO AXIS SEEN

(By Telegraph.—Press Aesn.—Copyright.) (Received November 14, 8.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 13. The Neutrality Act revision measure, permitting among other things the arming of United States merchant ships and their entry to belligerent ports and waters, was passed by 212 votes to 194 in the House of Representatives. The House was packed when the momentous vote on the measure was taken. Members realized that not since the fateful night in 1917 when the United States entered the Great War had so much hung in the balance. Details of the voting were: — Tor revision: 189 Democrats, 22 Republicans, one American Labour. v Against: 137 Republicans, 53 Democrats, three Progressives, one Farmer’s Labour. The Navy Department said it would be ready to start putting guns on merchantmen when the Bill is signed by the President on

Monday,

The amendment was in jeopardy following the announcement yesterday by a strong group of southern Democrats that they would not support the measure and indications that others might follow this lead. The Congress rebels were stirred to opposition by President Roosevelt’s failure to deal with the widespread strikes in defence industries.

Strike Situation.

The position became so serious that the Speaker, Mr. Hayburn,'called at the White House to urge Mr. Roosevelt to make some commitment on the strike situation. The President is understood to have assured the rebels that he would bring down a labour control measure after the Neutrality Act had been revised. In a letter which was read on the floor of the House by Mr. Bayburn in au atmosphere of tenseness, President Roosevelt declared that if the revision measure was not carried foreign nations, friends and enemies, would misinterpret America’s mind and purpose. Failure to repeal would cause rejoicing in the Axis nations and would bolster aggressive steps in Germany and other aggressor nations. "We could look forward to enthusiastic applause in those three nations, based on the claim that the United States is disunited, as they have so often professed,” the President declared. “The world obviously is watching the course of this legislation. Failure to pass it would not destroy the defence or morale of the British Empire, China and Russia but it would weaken their position in food and munitions. Failure would weaken our domestic situation and weaken our great effort to produce. Strikes and stoppages would become less serious in the public mind.” The vote was taken immediately after the President’s letter had been read. Democratic Breakaway. In the course of the debate Representative Richards, who led the Democratic breakaway, said the measure was equivalent to war by the back door of treachery to the United States. On the other bund, a Republican, Representative Taber, said: “There are only two alternatives. One is to surrender, pay tribute and submit to alien domination. The other is to go out and win. I have not the slightest doubt that when the people understand they will choose to go out, and win.” »

Other representatives voiced the view Hint the passage of the measure would be the iinal step* to full-scale, all-out undeclared war.