EARLY VOTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 October 1939, Page 7

EARLY VOTE

EXPECTED ON NEUTRALITY BILL WITH REPEAL OF AMERICAN ARMS EMBARGO. POSITION IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. WASHINGTON, October 17. A Committee of Democratic Senators will meet tomorrow to draft the 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 they will follow the outline announced yesterday The RepealisLs now claim 65 votes. Their chief problem is to bring the matter to a vote. Senator Connally charged the oppositionists with filibustering. but Senators Pittman and Barkley denied that a filibuster was in progress dr could be expected and predicted a vole soon. The Administration leaders in the House of Representatives, assuming a Senate passage of the Bill, are quietly polling the sentiment of the representatives. Early results indicate that the repeal will win by a small margin. SHIPPING CONTROL AGREEMENT ON RELAXATION OF RESTRICTIONS. SENATOR ON AMERICAN POLICY. (Received This Day, 9.20 a.m.) WASHINGTON, October 18. Senator Connally announced that thirteen Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including the drafters of the Neutrality Bill, had today agreed to the principle of his proposal to allow American vessels to carry all goods, except arms, tc belligerents in South America, the Pacific and Indian oceans, the China and Arabian seas and the Bay of Bengal. Relaxation of shipping restrictions is expected to lessen opposition to the Bill and to hasten a vote. Opening the Senate debate, Senator Holt, an Administration critic, declared: “It is no use trying to fool the people. The cnly reason we are in session is to help England and France to beat Germany. The Roosevelt administration never was neutral and never will be. We are getting the people ready for 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.