NEUTRALITY BILL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 October 1939, Page 5

NEUTRALITY BILL

EARLY PASSAGE EXPECTED HOUSE & ARMS EMBARGO REPEAL. BATTLE OF PRESSURE GROUPS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. NEW YORK. October 29. The Washington correspondent. of the “New York Times” says that the Administration leaders profess there will be no obstacle to the final passage of the Neutrality Bill and Ihe adjournment of the session of the House of Representatives by the weekend. It is conceded generally that the only doubt is the size of the repcalisis’ majority in the House of Representatives. The repeal is being discussed on Tuesday under the rule to send the Bill to a joint Senate and House conference. Non-repealists will be permitted to move an instruction to the members of the conference to insist on rejection of the' Senate’s clause removing the embargo, thus allowing the House of Representatives to vote separately on the embargo. If the House fails to give this instruction it is presumed the conference will quickly agree to a version of the Bill substantially identical with Senate’s, and the House will approve. At present the Senate and House Bills differ widely. The House Bill was passed last summer and provides for a modified embargo prohibiting the shipment of arms and munitions and permitting shipments of unarmed but convertible aeroplanes. Separate votes on the other sections of the Senate Bill could be achieved similarly in the House of Representatives. The battle by “pressure groups” over the repeal issue continues. Thirty Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, and other religious -leaders, including Chicago’s Catholic Bishop, Rt Rev Bernard Sheil, have jointly issued a statement urging repeal, while Father Coughlin and Archbishop Francis Beckman have broadcast in favour of retention of the arms embargo. The telegraph companies report a renewed deluge of messages to Congressmen, mostly of the organised propaganda type, favouring retention of the embargo. Disregarding a protest by Mr Fish, the Rules Committee adopted a procedure under which the House of Representatives will discuss the repeal of the arms embargo on October 31. It is contended that the House will have a full opportunity to amend or debate by means of instructions to its representatives at conferences, with the Mr Fish told the Rules Committee that the Democratic leaderships’ proposed House procedure on the Neutrality Bill was “the most vicious gap we have ever had in Congress.” He demanded that the House be permitted to amend its procedure, saying there was no disposition to stonewall but he wanted some rule to permit the House to decide its policy on three questions —firstly, the arms embargo, secondly, loans under the cash and carry plan —citing his belief that the same Bill permits loans to belligerents by the Reconstruction Finance Commission and Export and Import Bank —thirdly, Presidential power to determine combat areas. HITLER FURIOUS OVER EMBARGO REPEAL. FUND FOR ANTI-ROOSEVELT CAMPAIGN. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) PARIS, October 30. Herr Hitler is so infuriated at the repeal of the Neutrality Act that he has constituted a propaganda fund to subsidise an anti-Roosevelt campaign in the United States.