DEBATE MAY END SOON

Southland Times, Issue 23948, 14 October 1939, Page 6

DEBATE MAY END SOON

POSSIBLE REPEAL OF EMBARGO U.S. LEADERS INTENSIFY EFFORTS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 13, 10.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, October 12. Administration leaders intensified their efforts tonight to secure early votes on the neutrality question. Senator A. W. Barkley, the leader of the majority, announced a session on Saturday and expressed the hope that the general debate would end at the weekend. The Administration is still counting on a two-to-one margin in the Senate and is endeavouring to secure a vote before any new event abroad alters the situation here. The Administration is also spurred on by reports that the margin in the House in favour of repeal is becoming narrower. Senator R. M. La Follette, continuing the debate, opposed change for the reason that it might cripple the United States defence programme. He asserted that when America entered the Great War it was found that munitions plants were designed to produce foreign products, which were considered inferior to America’s. This experience was likely to be repeated. He issued a warning that if the United States was drawn into the conflict it would result in the death of democracy, conscription of labour, general suspension of civil liberties, ruin the nation’s economy and evolve a permanent dictatorship. Senator J. W. Bailey, addressing the Senate, urged modification of the neutrality measure to permit United States commerce with belligerents “separated from the Mother Country” and asked for the exemption of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Straits Settlements, French Indo-China, Hong Kong and other “outlying countries far separated from the war zone.”

Senator Bailey’s proposal is sponsored by the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (Senator Key Pittman) and it is thus indicated that the Administration approves. Senator B. K. Wheeler, joining the debate against repeal, said: “The American people do not want their boys to hang washing on the Siegfried Line and do not want anyone else’s boys to hang their bodies on the Siegfried Line.”

It is revealed that Senator Shavez, of New Mexico, has joined the isolationists. The President’s spokesmen are confident, however, they can pass the resolution when they wish. They prefer not to take unnecessary chances with the fluid situation in Europe and are also concerned lest the House begin to “play up.” The question of presidential discretion alone appears to be the hurdle in the drafting of the amendment to liberalize the proposed restrictions on American shipping. Both sides are optimistic of a compromise.