“NEVER NEUTRAL”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20072, 19 October 1939, Page 5

“NEVER NEUTRAL”

ROOSEVELT AIMS CRITIC’S ALLEGATION PREPARING FOR WAR DEBATE ON NEUTRALITY PROSPECTS FOR REPEAL (Reed. Oct. 19, 12 noon.) WASHINGTON. Oct. 18. In the Senate to-day. Senator Connally announced that Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including the drafters of the Neutrality Bill, to-day agreed in principle to his proposal to allow American vessels to carry all goods except arms, to belligerents, South America, the Pacific and Indian Oceans. China, the Arabian Seas and the Bay of Bengal. The relaxation of the shipping restrictions is expected to lessen the opposition to the bill and hasten the vote. Opening the debate to-day, Senator Holt, an administration critic, declared that it was no use trying to fool the people. Help To Allies “The only reason that we are in session,” he said, “is to help England and France to beat Germany. The Roosevelt administration was neve 1neutral and never will be. We ar : getting the people ready fer war.” Senator Holt agreed with Senator Holman that in the event of submarine successes continuing, Congress might be asked to permit direct shipments to England and France. Democratic Senators are meeting today to draft amendments - relaxing the shipping restrictions. Senator Pittman, who will act as chairman, said that nothing definite had yet been decided. but it is generally believed that the amendments will follow the outline cabled last week. Hopes of Repeal The repealists now claim 65 votes. The chief problem is to. bring the matter to a vote. Senator Connally to-day charged the oppositionists with filibustering, but Senator Pittman and Senator Barkley denied that a filibuster was in progress, or could be expected, and predicted a vote soon. Administration leaders in the House, assuming the Senate passage of the repeal, are quietly polling the sentiment of representatives. Early results indicate that repeal will win by a small margin.