UPHELD BY AMERICAN HOUSE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 July 1939, Page 5

UPHELD BY AMERICAN HOUSE

Rejection of President Roosevelt’s Policy TOTAL DEFEAT OF NEUTRALITY BILL NARROWLY AVERTED ANTICIPATION OF SERIOUS INTERNATIONAL REPERCUSSIONS By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright. • WASHINGTON, July 2. A rebellious House of Representatives last night killed President Roosevelt’s hopes for revision of the neutrality law at this session when they adopted legislation virtually re-enacting the present law, including the Republicansponsored provision for an export embargo from which American warplanes are excluded. The voting was 200 for and 188 against. The measure now goes to the Senate, where an adamant isolationist bloc has tiireatened to prolong the session all summer rather than permit the Bill’s passage in the form the Administration desires. Defeated in their efforts to prevent inclusion of the arms embargo clause, the Administration leaders in the House narrowly escaped a complete rout. A motion to send the Bill back to the Foreign Affairs Committee, which would have had the effect of defeating the Bill and continuing the existing neutrality law, was turned down by only two votes. The harried leaders fought desperately through an uproarious session lasting far into the night and they made three attempts to remove the arms embargo. Both the Speaker. Air William Bankhead, and the majority leader, Jlr Samuel. Rawburn, stepped into the well of the House to plead personally for the defeat of Air Vorys’s arms embargo amendment, which ,the hitter carried by 214 votes to .173. The new Bill 'will operate upon the President or Congress declaring the existence of a slate of war as follows; It will be forbidden to sell arms or ammunition to a belligerent; to ship any commodilies to a. belligerent until the title is transferred. to someone other than a United States’ citizen; to make loans and credits to belligerents, except ordinary commercial credits and short-term obligations of not more than 90 days; and to solicit funds'in the Pnited States on. behalf of a belligerent. In addition, the President can deny the use of United States’ ports or territorial waters to the submarines or armed merchantmen of a belligerent. The major change from the present law is the elimination of the phrase, “implements of war,’’ from the embargo provision. Legislators said that this would permit the sale to belligerents of aeroplanes, automobiles, oil and other commodities that are at present banned. It is reported that Mr Roosevelt has taken a “no surrender” position in his twin battles with the rebellious Congress over the monetary and neutrality legislation. Friends say that the President has no thought of compromise.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will take up the Bill on Wednesday. It is feared that, unless Mr Roosevelt influences them, they will approve a motion deferring further consideration till January. The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, today reasserted the Administration’s demand for neutrality legislation similar to that which the House has turned down. Both Mr Hull and the Speaker, Mr Bankhead, expressed the opinion that the refusal to repeal the arms embargo might have serious repercussions on the international situation. Mr Bankhead said the House’s action would “cause the trouble-mak-ers of Europe to draw the conclusion that there is no concerted action in the United States between the executive and legislative branches.”

Mr Bankhead drew comfort from the modifications of the embargo, and said the terms of the House resolution might permit the export of gun forgings and parts as well as unassembled components of ammunition. Mr Hull said the unamended Bloom measure was not only best calculated to keep the United States out of war, but, what was all important at this time, it was best calculated to make a far greater contribution than could the present law to discouragement of the outbreak of war.