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Home , James Pearce, Social Security Act

1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 8237 By Mr. FOGARTY: cynical tempers of mind, lest we become I am most happy to be numbered, can look H. R. 5908. A blll for the relief of Conrad H. too willful to learn Thy ways and too forward to many years more of your inspiring Clark; to the Committee on Claims. friendship and example. faithless to hope in Thy promises. With best Wishes, By Mr. SNYDER: Grant that we may live by faith and FRANK KNOX. H. R. 5909. A bill granting a pension to labor in faithfulness for the coming of Albert s. Miller; to the Committee on Invalid that glorious day of prediction, when NOTICE OF HEARINGS ON NOMINATION Pensions. OF HON. CHARLES H. LEAVY By Mr. WOODRUFF of Michigan: men and nations shall be united in the H.R. 5910. A bill for the relief of Rudolph sacrament of a blessed fellowship of Mr. MURDOCK. Mr. President, the and Emma Treiber; to the Committee on peace and brotherhood. Committee on the Judiciary has received Claims. Hear us in the name of the Christ, our the nomination of the Honorable CHARLES By Mr. GREGORY: Saviour. Amen. H. LEAVY. of Washington, to be United H. R. 5911. A bill to amend the act con­ ferring jurisdiction upon the THE JOURNAL States district judge, western district of Washington. District Court for the Western District of On request of Mr. BARKLEY, and by Kentucky to render judgment upon the claim As required by rule 1 of the commit­ of the late Theodore R. Troendle; to the unanimous consent, the reading of the tee's procedure and as chairman of the Committee on Claims. Journal of the proceedings of Thursday, subcommittee on the nomination, I an­ October 23, was dispensed with, and the nounce that Tuesday, November 4, at 10 Journal was approved. PETITIONS, ETC. a.m. has been set as the date of a hear­ MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT­ ing in the Judiciary Committee room at Under clause 1 of rule XXII, petitions APPROVAL OF BILLS which all interested parties may appear. and papers were laid on the Clerk's desk Messages in writing from the Presi­ and referred as follows: VALIDATION OF CERTAIN PAYMENTS- dent of the United States were commu­ - VETO MESSAGE (S. DOC. NO. 120) AND 1947. By Mr. CUNNINGHAM: Petition of nicated to the Senate by Mr. Miller, one sundry citizens of Iowa, petitioning Con­ SOUTH DAKOTA WHEAT GROWERS AS­ gress to take action to retain J. Edgar Hoover of his secretaries, who also announced SOCIATION, INC.-VETO MESSAGE (S. as Chief of the Federal Bureau of Investiga- that the President had approved and DOC. NO. 121) 1i1on; to the Committee on the Judiciary. signed the following acts: 1948. Aiso, petition of sundry employees in On October 23, 1941: The VICE PRESIDENT. If there be tbe building and grounds department of the s. 1426. An act !or the relief of Otis no objection, the veto messages from the independent school district, Des Moines, Thompson; and President of the United States returning Iowa, petitioning that social-security legisla­ S. 1695. An act for the relief of Reginald without approval the bill

SCOPE OJ' COOPERATIVE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION IN STATE The following table, based on data supplied by the Rural Electrlflcation Administration at Washington, covers the operations of 35 electric cooperatives in Missouri and 1 rural system operated by a private ut111ty but financed by R. E. A.:

Rural Elec- Customers trlftcation Kilowatt· Adminis· Miles of Power from public or hours sold Name of electric cooperative and location of office tration line Total private plant last fiscal loan Now to be year authorized served served

t 67P, OOC 646 2,014 2, S05 Private.------····-· 1, 185,578 727,000 735 1, 420 2,040 Public._------555,560 308, 500 306 931 901 -----do._._------. ll95, 932 392,000 437 950 1, 142 ••••• do. __ ------682,828 180, 000 182 340 584 ••••• do. ___ ------181,624 685,000 670 J, 358 2,084 ••••• do •• ------763,503 283,200 . 241 479 705 •••.. do •• __ ------• 326,095 379, 000 386 786 1,156 _____ do._------421,268 547, coo 551 912 1, 537 Private.------583,308 408, 500 488 859 1, 229 Public .• ------383,310 934,000 930 1, 536 2,990 Private.------685,417 637,000 640 1,090 2,349 Public. _------788,702 485, ~ 0 0 E02 731 1, 203 . •••• do ___ ------484,888 727,000 7Hl 787 2,644 ____ .do . __------414,030 702, .':00 690 1,124 2,026 _. •.• do •• _------523,413 479,000 494 610 1,456 Private._------__ ---- 319,569 484, 000 550 757 1,372 -----do. ____ -----_--·-- 462,764 494,000 469 817 1,464 ·Public and private •••• 362,270 402,000 368 392 1, 417 Private ••. ------149,915 405,000 426 815 1, 203 Public anrl private .••• 543,206 4M, 500 456 824 1,~7 Private. __------378,612 582,500 674 958 1, OR Public and private •••• 685,000 477 371 1,207 Public._------305~807 412,000 441 570 1,125 ----.do. ------243,027 254,000 274 518 566 Private.----·------318,581 198,000 200 504 6!i8 ----_do ______190,333 565,000 582 ll99 1,877 .:••. do ______------491,004 455,000 503 818 1,447 .:.. ••• do ____ ; ____ ------306,822 429,000 459 612 1, 236 _____ do •••• ------193,410 26ti, 000 298 472 734 Public •• ------20,762 370,000 412 1,072 410,000 428 ------578" 1,403 -Pri"V"a£e::::::::::::::: ------27i;59i 34.2, 000 325 1,021 Public •• ------158,000 158 ------.-- 380 ------273,000 ------·-· 270 662 ------... ------.. ------PRIVATE COMPANY SYSTEM FINANCED BY RURAL ELECTJUFICATION ADMINISTRATION

Ul2, 000 I 1331 5961 615 I Privaw ••••• ------1---39_3,_020_ M"'•;:=::~~~~~~~~~~:·.~::.~.·-~~:~~=:.~~:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I 16,345,200 16, 38ll 26, 528 49, 485 ------13,926,149 At the close of the flscal year last June 30 the amount advanced to the Missouri R. E. A. systems was $12,563,883 out of authorized loans totaling $16,345,200. Lines then energized (in operation) were 12,971 miles. Mr. O'MAHONEY. Mr. President-­ hoping that the 0. P.M. may see fit to Mr. AIKEN. .Mr. President, I have Mr. CLARK of Missouri. I am glad to submit to the Committee on Naval Affairs listened with considerable interest to the yield now to the Senator from Wyoming, a report upon that bill. remarks of the Senator from Wyoming Mr. O'MAHONEY. Mr. President, the The second activity to which I refer is [Mr. O'MAHONEYl. I desire to say that Senator's observations give me an oppor­ that tomorrow morning at 10:30 o'clock it is asking a good deal of the farmers tunity to remark that two steps are now former Senator Henderson, the Chair­ who are waiting for the R. E. A. lines ·to being taken dealing with the subject man of the R. F. C., will appear before a expect them tci wait until new sourceS matter of which he speaks. subcommittee of the Senate Committee of copper are discovered and developed In the :first place, there is pending be­ on Public Lands and Surveys to discuss before they can get electricity to their fore the Committee on Naval Affairs a the activities of the R. F. C. with respect farms. bill (S .. 1847) the object of which is to to the stimulation of the development of I can endorse everything that was said establish by law in the 0. P. M. an our own resources in the United States. by the Senator from Missouri [Mr. agency-a forum, as it were-to which Congress upon frequent occasions has CLARK]. I know where there are hun­ all enterprises and p~rsons suffering from conferred upon the R. F. C. authority to dreds of miles of poles and lines all built, the operation of the priorities rule may stimulate the production of minerals; waiting for the copper wire to bring elec­ go with their grievances. That bill. was but, despite that authority, that stimula­ tricity to the farms. I know that the submitted to the 0. P.M. more than 2 tion has not taken place. For example, farmers have been asked, and asked weeks ago for a report. No report as yet last year we passed an amendment of the definitely and vigorously, to increase has been received. It iS understood that R. F. C. Act which authorizes the R. F. C. their production. They have given up the 0. P.M., through Mr. Donald Nelson, to purchase the stock of corporations en­ their sons and their farm labor to the is at work on some sort of an 0. P. M. gaged in the production of strategic min­ Army, and they have installed electric ruling, the purpose of which is to set up erals. To date the R. F. C. has purchased milking machines; and the electric milk­ a board of appeal to consider .these no stock of any corporation except its own ing machines and other labor-saving de­ subjects. subsidiaries. Every day that passes vices are still waiting right there for the I have pointed out that action of that brings a new ruling from the 0. P.M. to current to come. An allocation of 4,500 kind is not satisfactory, because of the deprive this business or that business of tons a month has been made to the great instability of the organization of the right to use materials; an~ yet R. E. A., but they cannot get the copper. the 0. P. M. The committees and divi­ throughout the West we have vast de­ Somebody· else is getting it. sions which exist today may not exist to­ posits of untouched minerals, and while I desire to endorse the suggestion of morrow or 2 weeks hence, and the indi­ we are doing nothing to stimulate devel­ the Senator f-rom Missouri [Mr. CLARK] viduals who are passing on allocation to­ opment here in our own country, the that the situation warrants an investiga­ day may have a different assignment to­ R. F. C., through the Export-Import tion to ascertain who is getting that cop­ morrow. What is needed is legislative Bank, is loaning millions of dollars for the per, and why none of it is being given action which will definitely name an industrial development of other countries. to the R. E. A. lines that have been wait­ agency to which all persons who are suf­ Mr. CLARK of Missouri. I thank the ing for it, some of them .now for a long fering may go with their cases. I am Senator. time. We have a number of folks in this 1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 8243 country who wave the flag quite vigor· A Senator on the floor, I do not remem· I stated to both of them that I made the public announcement to our stockholders at ously and cry for intervention in war, and ber who it was, called my attention to our annual meeting this past June that there yet when anything comes up that mal' the fact that there was in one of the was a great shortage of alnico steel; that we affect their pocketbooks a little bit they Washington papers an editorial or article were having diffi.culty obtaining it, and that do not hesitate at all to sabotage our denying that story, and saying it was during the period of this shortage we bad had defense program, and I think we have an untrue. an offer from England to supply part of our instance of that kind right here. Mr. BARKLEY. Mr. President, wlll needs in alnico steel to be used in magnets Mr. WHEELER. Mr. President, I wish the Senator yield? for radio loudspeakers. I told the Tribune man that the Tribune to endorse what the Senator from Wyo­ Mr. WHEELER. I yield. bad already published my statement to this ming [Mr. O'MAHONEY] has said about Mr. BARKLEY. The editorial to effect and that it bad been carried by one of the development of minerals in the west­ which the Senator refers appeared !n the press services. I also told him that it ern part of the United States. I also the Washington Post on Wednesday, had been published pretty generally over the desire to call attention to the fact that October 15. United States and that It was a statement of when copper was selling for 5 cents a Mr. WHEELER. Will the Senator let fact, as we bad been offered this alnico steel. pound, and when manganese mines were me have it? However, I stated that we never accepted their offer . being closed down, during the depression, . Mr. BARKLEY. Yes; I am glad to I want you to have this before you, so that I took the matter up with the various de­ hand it to the Senator. there will be no twisting by the papers or partments of the Government,· and tried Mr. WHEELER. I thank the Senator. others of the fact that I did make the above to get them to build in the West a stock The editorial reads: statement. And, what is more, the corre­ pile of copper, and also to build a stock REPEATING A LIE spondence is in my tiles if anyone questions pile of manganese. I pointed out to them it. that instead of importing the manganese There is some comfort in the statement by Sincerely yours, Senator WHEELER that there is to be no or­ GENE. from some other country, they could put ganized fight in the Senate on the second some three or four hundred men to work lend-lease appropriation. Senator WHEELER Mr. BARKLEY. Mr. President, if the digging up manganese, and making a merely says he will vote against it. Unfortu­ Senator will read the whole editorial....;... stock pile of it for defense purposes. nately in his statement on Monday he sought I do not know whether he intended to At that time the Secretary of War was to bring other Senators to his side in a thor­ finish reading it-he will find it makes in favor of doing that, and I think the oughly unworthy manner. He repeated one some reference to the fact, as it is of those canards against the good faith of the Navy Department was in favor of it; but fighting British, which the President recently claimed, that the president of the Zenith it was impossible to get the plan adopted. felt called upon to expose. Mr. Roosevelt Co. had been contacted and that he had I pointed out that instead of putting peo­ did not deal with the particular fantasy denied the statement which had been ple on W. P. A., they should put them to that Senator WHEELER trotted out on Monday. made. I think the whole editorial should work doing something of a useful and But, since the Montanan's story bas been go in. constructive nature, that the Govern­ going the rounds from coast to coast since Mr. WHEELER. I shall have it in­ ment would actually make money by buy­ June, the facts need to be explained. Such serted. I have on my desk in my office a need is the greater because of the Senate ing the copper at 5 cents a pound and consideration of the second lend-lease ap­ a letter from the president of the Zenith putting it away in a stock pile, and that propriation and the fresh currency on Capitol Co., Captain McDonald, and I had in­ it would likewise save money if it took Hill which Senator WHEELER has given to the tended to bring it to the Senate. the same course with reference to man­ story. Mr. BARKLEY. I am not stating ganese. what the facts are; I do not know what If that suggestion had been followed at I call the attention of my colleagues to they are- that particular time, there would not the fact that the editorial refers to "re­ Mr. WHEELER. I am stating what have been a shortage of copper in the peating a lie." They are the ones who the facts are. United States today, and no industries are repeating a lie. I have a letter from Mr. BARKLEY. But the whole edi· would have had to close down because of the president of the Zenith Co. him­ torial should be inserted. lack of copper. We would also have had self in which he says that I quoted Mr. WHEELER. I shall insert it. The sufficient manganese so that we would him correctly; that what I said was ab­ editorial continues: solutely true, that he could not get the not have had to depend entirely upon . Senator WHEELER charged that an offi.cial Russia or some other country for that material in this country, that he did of the Zenith Ra.ctio Co., of Chicago, recently mineral. write to England, and that they offered denied aluminum by our priority offi.cials, bad It was lack of planning that caused to furnish it to him, but he never or­ written to England for it "just for fun" and the shortage of copper in this country; it dered the material. was promised delivery in 3 weeks. There is was lack of planning on the part of the The only mistake I made, if one was not a word of truth in the allegation. Government that caused the shortage of made, was t:!:lat he got the material from I did not charge that an official of the these basic minerals about which we now England-and I do not recall having said Zenith Radio Co., of Chicago, was denied hear so much. It was not, as some have that. They offered it to him from Eng. aluminum by our priority officials. I said, the fault of the producers of copper land, but he did not order it from Eng­ said-and the RECORD will bear me out­ in the United States that we are short of land. So the distinguished editor of the that the Zenith Co. could not get certain copper at the present time; it was be· Washington Post is the one who is re· materials here for radio parts, but did cause they were unable to find a market peating a lie, if a lie is being repeated, write to England and was promised de­ for the copper which they had. when he says that the story which was livery in 3 weeks. I may have been in I repeat, copper was selling at 5 cents given currency in the Capitol and error about the 3 weeks, but that was a pound, and thousands of copper miners throughout the country was not true. my recollection of the conversation. were out of work. There were also min­ I ask that the letter to which I have I was in error if I said "aluminum," be­ ers in the manganese field who were out referred, which I do not happen to have cause it may have been some other ma­ of work at that time. But now we are with me at the present time but which I terial. My statement in the Senate on hearing a great deal said about the short­ will supply, be inserted in the RECORD as October 16 was that it was "certain age of these materials. a part of my remarks. material." Mr. President, I am sorry I have not The VICE PRESIDENT. Is there ob­ The editorial proceeds: brought with me today a letter which I jection? The story, evidently, came out of the an­ received a few days ago, after I made a There being no objection, the letter was nual meeting of the Zenith Radio Co. as far statement on the fioor of the Senate ordered to be printed in the RECORD, back as last June, or within 2 months o! the about the Zenith Radio Corporation. I and is as follows: · signing of the Lend-Lease Act. The com­ called attention to the fact that the pres. ZENITH RADIO CORPORATION I pany was short of alnico steel, an alloy of ident of that corporation had told me, in Chicago, October 14, 1941. aluminum, nickel, and copper. And the Hon. BURTON K. WHEELER, president, Capt. Eugene McDonald, whom the presence of others, that he was un­ United States Senate, Washington, D. C. Senator WHEELER quoted, said that the com­ able to get a certain material necessary MY DEAR SENATOR WHEELER: The British pany might be able to get some of this steel in the manufacture of radios, that he Publicity Department and the Chicago Trib· from Britain. His reason was that he had had finally written to England and took une both called me today asking whether I had offers of alnico steel before. This was the matter up with the English, asking had made a statement to you that we could not at all odd. The British had had to keep them if they could furnish the material. buy alnico steel from England. up exports in order to pay for war imports, 8244 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE OCTOBER 27 and even after the Lend-Lease Act was ADDRESS ON FOREIGN POLICY BY SENA­ ference of the Robert Morris Asseciates 1n signed still had to make deliveries on orders . ATOR RADCLIFFE Detroit, Mich., September 23, 1941, which ap­ obtained in the cash-and-carry era. But pears in the Appendix.] 1n this case the Zenith Co. received a [Mr. GEORGE asked and obtained leave to negative response. The fact is that such have printed in the RECORD a radio address on EDITORIAL COMMENTS ON POSITION OF goods are subject to export licenses, and, as foreign policy delivered by Senator RADCLIFFE JOHN L. LEWIS ON COAL STRIKE the British replied, "no licenses will be on October 26, 1941, which appears in the [Mr. BRIDGES asked and obtained leave to granted." Appendix.] have printed in the RECORD several editorials This is only one of many fairy tales that ADDRESS BY SENATOR TAFT BEFORE commenting on the position taken by John L. are being bandied about by the isolationists. OHIO STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Lewis in connection with the coal strike. which appears in the Appendix.] The fairy tales which are being bandied [Mr. BURTON asked and obtained leave to about are not being spread by the isola­ have printed in the RECORD an address on the ADDRESS BY DWAIN CLODFELTER, OF tionists. Not only that, but the intoler­ subject A New Order After the War, delivered FORSYTH, MONT. ance that is being bandied around is not by Senator TAFT before the Ohio State Bar [Mr. WHEELER asked and obtained leave on the part of isolationists. Association at Toledo, Ohio, October 24, 1941, to have printed in the RECORD a radio address Mr. President, I wish to make a state­ which appears in the Appendix.] by Dwain Clodfelter, of Forsyth, Mont., on ment with reference to intolerance. ADDRESS BY SENATOR SCHWARTZ AT the occasion of his induction into tLle military NATIONAL WOMAN'S PARTY MEETING, service under the draft, which appears in the Senators will find who is spreading intol­ Appendix.] erance if they read the article printee in WILMINGTON, DEL. this morning's newspaper setting forth [Mr. HILL asked and obtained leave to have COLUMBUS DAY ADDRESS BY FRANCIS that three individuals petitioned Mayor printed in the RECORD the address delivered P.MATTHEWS LaGuardia not to permit Lindbergh and by Senator ScHWARTZ at a meeting of the [Mr. BUTLER asked and obtained leave to me to speak in the city of New York. National Woman's Party at Wilmington, Del., have printed in the RECORD a Columbus Day Such persons are those who are spread­ October 25, 1941, which appears in the Ap­ address by Francis· P. Matthews, of Omaha, ing intolerance. In one breath they are pendix.] Nebr., which appears in the Appendix.] calling for tolerance and for the preser­ ADDRESS ' BY SENATOR WILEY AT NA­ EDITORIAL ON WAR FROM BOISE CAPITAL vation of the Bill of Rights, and for the TIONAL WOMAN'S PARTY MEETING, NEWS preservation of democracy, and in the WILMINGTON, DEL. [Mr. CLARK of Idaho asked and obtained next breath they are seeking to stop pub­ (Mr. WILEY asked and obtained leave to leave to have printed in the RECORD an edi­ lic meetings, free assemblage, and free have printed in the RECORD the address deliv­ torial from the Boise Capital News of October speech. I challenge anyone to read the ered by him at the National Woman's Party 23, 1941, entitled "A Few Sober Thoughts," record of the newspapers in the country dinner at Wilmington, Del., October 25, 1941, which appears in the Appendix.l and then say who it is that is doing the which appears in the Appendix.] ADOLF IDTLER AND THE NAZI PHI­ name calling and who it is that today is ADDRESS BY SENATOR MEAD ON NA­ LOSOPHY spreading intolerance, c:ass hatred, re­ TIONAL UNITY Mr. LUCAS. Mr. President, on Octo­ ligious hatred, and sectional hatred in [Mr. MEAD asked and obtained leave to iler 21 last the Baptists of the State of the United States. · have printed in the RECORD an address on Illinois held their annual convention in The editorial continues: the subject National Unity, delivered by him the city of Ottawa, Til. The Reverend They are all aimed at attacking Bi'ltain's at Freeport, Long Island, N. Y., on October James M. Lively, of Mattoon, is the presi­ good faith under the lend-lease law. It is a 18, 1941, which appears in the Appendix.] dent of that group, and he delivered a campaign which could not be better calcu­ TRffiUTE TO THE STATE OF UTAH very notable address before the delegates lated to suit the Nazi's aim to promote ill will among the remaining democracies of the [Mr. MURDOCK asked and obtained leave and other distinguished church workers world so that Hitler can undermine them one to have' print€d in the RECORD addresses by at the convention. I desire to take a few by one. Han. Robert H. Hinckley, Assistant Secretary moments of the time of the Senate to of Commerce, and Senator THOMAS of Utah, read into the RECORD some of the state­ Talk about intolerance. The charge is in a program broadcast on October 14, 1941, ments this very eminent churchman made that everyone who wishes to.keep by the Utah State Society in tribute to the made at that meeting. In his speech he the United States out of the war is trying State of Utah, which appears in the discussed Adolf Hitler and the Nazi phi­ to spread hatred and is doing something Appendix.] losophy. Among other things, he said in order to help Hitler. Talk about ADDRESS BY HON. JAMES A. FARLEY AT that- spreading hatred and bitterness and ST. AMBROSE COLLEGE, DAVENPORT, Americans will not live on their knees be­ racial hatred. It is newspaper articles IOWA . fore any dictator. To the preservation of the of this kind and editorials of this kind [Mr. GILLETTE asked and obtained leave liberty and freedom given us through the that are spreading hatred, bitterness, and to have printed in the RECORD the address. blood, the sufferings, hardships, and toil of class hatred. delivered by Han. James A. Farley at the ded­ our fathers we pledge our lives, our fortunes, The editorial concludes: ication of the new library building at St. and our sacred honor. The American people should know that in Ambrose College, Davenport, Iowa, October He further said: connection with the operation of the lend­ 24, 1941, which appears in the Appendix.] I w•mld rather present arms like a man and lease law we don't even depend upon Britain's ADDRESS BY MAYOR CHANDLER, OF good faith. Here and elsewhere a sharp check a preacher than to get down on my knees and MEMPHIS, ON MUNICIPAL POWER PRO­ crawl tl:rough the dirt to some concentration is kept on all requests for lend-lease aid, and GRAM OFT. V. A. nothing that violates either the spirit or the camp at the orders of a powerful degenerate letter of that law could escape the vigilance of [Mr. STEWART asked and obtained leave who thinks himself ~o be God. our own officials. It is a pity that Senator to have printed in the RECORD an address No one has a greater stake in or stands to WHEELER has stooped to repeat one of the delivered by Hon. Walter Chandler, mayor of lose more in this world revolution than the stories whicl could not possibly happen even Memphis, Tenn., on the Tennessee Valley church. No church can live in Hitler's new 1f the British were so foolish as to seek to Authority's Municipal Power Program in Op­ world order. destroy American good wlll for a few dollars. eration, which appears in the Appendix.] The article from which I read con­ NAVY DAY LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT ADDRESS BY EUGENE E. WILSON BEFORE tinues: TO SECRETARY KNOX ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF MASSA· The Mattoon minister said "disunity and a [Mr. MEAD asked and obtained leave to CHUSETTS false sense of security were the Nation's have printed in the RECORD a Navy Day letter [Mr, MALONEY asked and obtained leave greatest dangers. addressed by the President to Secretary Knox, to have printed in the RECORD the address "Nazi Germany is oent on world domina­ which appears in the Appendix.] delivered by Eugene E. Wilson, president of tion," he declared. "To negotiate a peace United Aircraft Corporation, before meeting with Hitler would be like booking a passage ADDRESS BY SENATOR THOMAS OF UTAH of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, on a pirate vessel. TO FOREIGN POLICY ASSOCIATION at Boston on October 23, 1941, which appears "We are not !50ing to stand idly by and [Mr. McKELLAR asked and obtained leave in the Appendix.] wait for Hitler to come and plllage and plunder this rich land and make subjects and to have printed in the RECORD the address on ADDRESS BY DR. J. 0. DOWNEY ON FOR­ the subject Congress' Place In Our Foreign slaves of this great, free people." Polley and National Defense, delivered by EIGN POLICY • • • "' • Senator THOMAS of Utah before the Foreign [Mr. BRIDGES asked and obtained leave to "We Americans hate, we detest, we abomi­ Policy Association at the Waldorf-Astoria have printed in the REcoRD the address deliv­ nate war. We do not war.t war-neither did Hotel, New York City, October 25, 1941, which ered by Dr. J. 0. Downey, of the General Poland, nor Holland. nor Belgium, nor France, appears in the Appendix.) Motors Corporation, before the annual con- nor England, nor Greece, nor Russia. But war 1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 8245 was thrust upon them by the bloody hands ing votes of the two Houses on the O'Mahoney Smathers Vandenberg of Hitler and his grisly crew. We should do amendments of the Senate to the bill Peace Stewart VanNuys every honorable thing within our power to Pepper Taft Wallgren avoid war-even to the suffering of injury and

;. L - .• 1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 8251 minions and his agents have been scat­ from my colleagues, I shall appreciate it, would be a better word-that we are still tering their work of sabotage and espio­ although I leave it to their judgment it on that road to peace which has been the nage in our land, in the pay of Hitler they think it is impossible to desist from constant Presidential promise up to date. and his minions. interru_ption. Mr. President, what I am saying and Mr. President, as a necessary element Mr. President, I consider the pending what I am about to say is without rancor and factor in our national defense, as an Senate decision as substantially settling and without any thought of challenge to aid and a supplement to the building of the question whether America deliber­ the good faith or the patriotism of those this great Navy, which-praise God-I ately and consciously shall go all the way who take a different view. Certainly it is hope when built will be big enough and into a shooting war, probably upon two with a feeling of full respect for the con­ strong enough and powerful enough, oceans. The ultimate acknowledgment scientious patriotism of every one of my superior to any other in the world, to by Congress of a state of war, I fear, will colleagues upon this floor. There is hon­ insure our safety on both the Atlantic be a mere formality, ratifying a precipi­ est difference of · opinion in this country and Pacific, in addition to establishing tated fact if we approve the needless as to the course we should pursue. I do the Army and recruiting our young men provocation and trend inherent· in this not belong to either group of zealous and calling them to the colors, in addi­ proposed action. Therefore I consider extremists who belabor us with their ad­ tion to building new ships, in addition to· that I am now facing the controlling vice-the extremists who would avoid war speeding up our production of munitions issue so far as our own acts are con­ at any cost on the one hand, or the ex­ and war materials for the aid of the cerned in respect to our entry into World tremists ·who would get us into war re­ democracies battling for their lives, in War No. 2. It is ~n f1e presence of that gardless of the cost. I recognize the good order effectively to carry out our pledges· grim and sinister specter, including a conscience of both; and I want to assert embodied in the lend-lease program, second A. E. F., withot:t which the highest at the outset that I shall have no part in but-above all these considerations-in British command frankly says there can­ the intemperate personalities which at­ the interest of the United States itself, not be an anti-Axis military victory on tack motives, which confuse straight for our own defense and our own pro­ the continent of Europe, that I take my . thinking, and which jeopardize wisdom tection, I believe the time has come when stand against the pending resolution. in this most desperately vital decision we America must stand upon its own feet, Mr. President, I can understand the have yet been called upon to make. I :md must assume and maintain our rights viewpoint which ir ready to accept this want to deal, if I may, in unemotional under international law. Those rights prospectus and which even feels, with facts. are in part embodied in the pending joint deep conviction, that, for the sake of our . Mr. President, I recognize that Hitler resolution; and the Senate, I trust, will, own defense, we are not hastening fast may force us into this war, or that he may with dignity and determination, refuse enough to the all-out battle line. I can get the Mikado's militarists to do it for to accept the brutal and bloody com­ understand how such a viewpoint will him. I recognize the fact that we may mands of Hitler that we submit to his support the pending resolution in the have to fight; and, if we do, I want to will and that we surrender our ancient niost belligerent form in which it can be fight with every triumphant resource at and traditional rights to the seas. put; and the Senate committee itself has our command. I recognize the need for national unity under such circumstances Mr. VANDENBERG obtained the floor. all but sounded the battle charge. - Logic and consistency and war thus fall into and that is why ,I have laid down this Mr. DANAHER. Mr. President, will rule for myself: namely, that when a the Senator yield? lock step. But I cannot understand the viewpoint which supports the pending foreign-policy commitment has been ir­ Mr. VANDENBERG. I yield. revocably made by the President and a Mr. DANAHER. I suggest the absence action on the old, shallow, transparent, exploded theory that we are once more majority of Congress, acting within the of a quorum. boundaries of the Constitution, I will ac­ The PRESIDING OFFICER. The striving to keep out of active war when we thus drive straight ahead into the cept and support it, whether I like it or clerk will call the roll. bloody heart of war itself. not. Thus, I have voted for lend-lease The legislative clerk called the ron: appropriations, though I voted against and the following Senators answered to I fail to understand how any man with the lend-lease law in the first instance. their names: even a modicum of imagination and real­ ism at his command can contemplate an But, Mr. President, I recognize no plea Adams George O'Daniel for unity which requires me to surrender Aiken Gerry O'Mahoney American merchant ship under the Amer­ my convictions in respect to congressional Andrews Glllette Peace ican flag, loaded with American muni­ commitments as yet unmade. That ap­ Austin Glass Pepper tions, manned by an American crew, sent Batley Green Radcliffe plies to the present circumstance. It is Barkley Guffey Roster through a German blockade to a bellig­ my conviction that America should stay Bilbo Gurney Russell erent port in England, and fail to see out of this shooting war and out of any Bridges Hatch Schwartz that ship shortly followed by the first Brooks Hill Shtpstead policies that would needlessly drag us in, Brown Holman Smathers American transport that takes the sec­ if such a course be possible. It is my Bunker Johnson, Calif. stewart ond A. E. F. to Europe. conviction that our all-out entry into war Burton Johnson, C'olo. Taft Butler La Follette Thomas, Idaho No matter what textual form the would cost America more than she can Byrd Langer Thomas, Okla. pending resolution may take when the ever gain from it, even in the victory, at Capper Lee Thomas, Utah Senate has finished with it, it now seems long last, which would be ours. It is my Caraway Lucas Truman undiguisedly clear that the action of the Chandler McFarland Tunnell conviction that the pressures of war upon Chavez McKellar Vandenberg House in voting to arm merchantmen our institutions and our freedoms and our Clark, Idaho McNary VanNuys was only the first link in a chain of ex­ economy would herald here as a matter Clark, W.o. Maloney Wallgren pectations and events which would follow Connally Mead Wheeler of necessity some paraphrase · of the Danaher Murdock White in easy but inexorable sequence. Within fascist state, as we have already found Davis Murray Wiley one intervening week-they waited just that even our preparations for war sub­ Doxey Norris 1 week-we have seen actual rivalry stantially require us to live under gov­ Ellender Nye among the earnest proponents of this se­ ernment by executive decree instead of .The PRESIDING OFFICER. Seventy­ quence to hasten its precipitation; and under continuing representative institu­ three Senators have answered to their this significant fact will be written into tions. It is my conviction that a British names. A quorum is present. The Sen­ history right here on the floor of the Sen­ victory is immensely · important to the ator from Michigan will proceed. ate this week before ever the Senate vital advantage of America, and that the Mr. VANDENBERG. Mr. President, in reaches a final roll call upon the pending defeat of Hitlerism in the world is of pow­ view of the nature of this debate and resolution. Indeed, the Senate Foreign erful importance to the United States, what I conceive to be the momentous Relations Committee has written that but it is equally my conviction that these effect of every word that may be said prospectus. I do not decry this unantici­ things are not indispensable to our own upon this floor, I think, perhaps, it would pated candor in the development of the successful survival, no matter who wins be advisable, for the purpose of clarity, if legislative sequence to which I have re­ any war anywhere on earth, if we faith­ this initial statement in behalf of those ferred. On the contrary, I welcome it. I fully attend to our own hemispherical de­ who oppose the resolution could proceed think it makes for truth and reality. But fense. It is my conviction that we can without interruption until I shall have I also think it leaves no further room for give even more aid to the Allies as a non­ concluded. If I may have that ir.dulgenc~ the comforting consolation-anesthetic belligerent than as a belligerent. It is my 8252 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE OCTOBER 27 conviction that we can contribute more tribute either to the safety of the ships and with great respect for those who con­ to an ultimate rational peace to save an or the safety of their cargoes or the scientiously think otherwise, we are deal­ otherwise exhausted world if we are non­ safety of the country. Indeed, it is en­ ing here with the essence of naked war belligerent than if we are belligerent. tirely probable that it does not con­ itself. Only one further step then re­ It is further my conviction that we have tribute even to lend-lease aid to others, mains-a declared war in place of an un­ passed the point where we can longer because we may find as a result that we declared war. This is our last chance to create new provocations, in violation of deliver less goods rather than m01·e; and act as free agents. Hereafter we shall be every "short of war" assurance which has to send these ships into battle zones is wholly at the mercy of events. disguised our previous steps toward war, to ask for the war which follows as night I want to make another thing plain at without deliberately inviting war; that follows day. the outset: I do not believe that this new we therefore should stop with our pres­ It seems to me that when we presume program contributes to the defeat of ent commitments, all of which I would to arm these merchant ships-and it is Hitler and his despotic AXis. I do not faithfully execute, unless and until we only a pretension so far as effective believe it contributes to the advantage are deliberately and consciously ready to shooting realities are concerned-we our­ of those who fight the battles of the cause go all the way into all-out war .against an selves, intentionally or otherwise, have to which we are officially attached and enemy who leaves us no other alternative. invited the precise attacks which we as­ with whom my own heart beats com­ And, Mr. President, since it is also mY sume to discourage. This is doubly true pletely in sympathy. If we are drawn all conviction that the pending proposal al­ when we then send these ships to bel­ the way into· a shooting war, particularly most inevitably invites this final conse­ ligerent ports. We have provoked the i! it involves us on two oceans, the quence without sufficient cumulative jus­ attacks, not only upon our armed mer­ American people are calculated insist­ tification,. indeed, that it virtually guar­ chantmen but also upon a thousand ently then to demand that we conserve antees the consequence without daring to other American merchant ships which inore of our own defense resources for say so, I am opposed to the pending action will still be unarmed at the end of 4 our own defense production, and there for reasons which I shall now attempt to months, because we have not adequate will be less, rather than more, lend-lease sustain in greater detail. equipment to arm them all, short of 2 aid for others. or 3 years. If and when the attacks I am opposed to the pending resolution, At this point I adtl a quotation from come, the arms upon the merchant ships the minority views of the committee of either in the form in which it came from will not suffice, nor will the lack of them the House, or in the broadened belliger­ upon the ships that are still unarmed; the House of Representatives upon this ency which the Senate Foreign Relations but the attacks, perhaps· the· sinkings, join~ resolution, in which the minority Committee has added, first, because I be­ will suffice to challenge our sovereignty pointedly made this suggestion: lieve it creates a new war hazard without in a degree which no American will con­ To avoid a futile, slow, and dangerous de­ compensatory advantage; second, because done. We shall and we must then do in­ vice for aid to Britain when that objective I believe it will do more harm than good finitely more than merely arm our ships. can be accomplished by forthright and legal in respect even to realistic aid to those action of the President in making available We must then give them all-out protec­ our merchant vessels to Britain. countries which are openly at war with tion. Again I say, I hope I am wholly the curse of tyranny upon the march; wrong, but I owe it to candor to say that For that reason, among others, the third, because I believe it violates the de­ I do not doubt that this may put us all­ minority opposed precisely the sort of sires and expectations of a substantial out into this shooting war, particularly thing which the Senate is now asked to m~jority of the American people, despite when we take the next contemplated step do; and that exhibit which I submit is spectacular and often flamboyant claims and sail With contraband into combat in line with my thought that in all to the coptrary; and fourth, because I be­ zones and belligerent ports where we be­ human probability we are not even serv­ lieve it is the disingenuous preface to the come the perfectly legitimate target of the ing what may be called the pro-allied sequence of belligerent events which are enemy. Much as I disagree with many cause by the thing we are now undertak­ calculated to take us into an all-out of the attitudes of the Secretary of War ing to do. shooting war on two oceans upon our own and the Secretary of the NavY-to whom Furthermore, if we are pulled all the. initiative. I may be wrong; I hope I am; I shall allude more specifically a little way into a shooting war, we shall have but I must proceed according to my later-! at least commend them for the lost whatever advantage-be it great or lights. frankness with which they disclose their small-which attaches to Hitler's appar­ Under presently existing circum­ own belief in this deadly sequence, their ent reluctance to draw.us in, perhaps in stances, I am opposed to arming Ameri­ willingness to face these facts and to ac­ poignant memory of what happened to can merchant ships. Most emphactically cept them. They have been the advance his country the last time we went in. I am opposed to arming them as a pro­ agents of this shooting war; and the Meanwhile, if we are drawn all the vocative prelude to sending them into Senate must now determine whether it way into a shooting war, we cannot re­ combat zones and into belligerent ports, commends itself to the representatives sist the total consequences. We are in where they inevitably invite the shooting upon whom 130,000,000 people must de­ to the finish, and we cannot possibly that means war, to borrow a fairly recent pend almost for the last time for their foresee who will be our foes and who will Presidential phrase. Surely it is now destiny. be our friends, if any, in this unfolding undeniably obvious that the arming of T'nerefore, Mr. President, regardless of tragedy, because this war has the habit merchant ships is, and was intended to what the Senate does with the text of the of completely confounding all our ex­ be, only a prelude, because the final gut­ pending resolution, it seems to me that pectations. If we are drawn all the way ting of our entire short-of-war policy the one preliminary but sinister proposal in, I do not see how we can close our seems only to be awaiting its expedient to arm our merchant ships cannot be eyes to the probability that a second turn upon our preordained Executive pro­ isolated from its own probabilities and A. E. F. will be essential to a total mili­ gram. An impatient Senate committee consequences, if not its actual purposes. tary victory upon the continent, even has reduced this waiting to its very zero It seems to me that we must vote upon though the President's final commitment hour. this resolution in the purview of its im­ to the American people on the eve of his I sl1all undertake to prove that an plications and its evolutions, particularly reelection at Boston, October 30, 1940L armed American merchant ship is less since the Senate committee has been so was this: safe than an unarmed one because its candid about them. If we cannot send And, while I am talking to you, fathers armament is wholly inadequate to pro­ our merchant ships upon their legitimate and mothers, I give you one more assurance. tect it against the attacks which it in­ errands Without a general attack upon I have said this before, but I shall say it vites when it assumes this armed char­ them by the Axis Powers, then we cannot again and again and again: Your boys are acter; and that the pending action pro­ save them by merely arming them inade­ not going to be sent into any foreign wars. portionately would move us, by our own quately. The pending measure only ag­ And so, Senators, let us not ignore the impulse, closer to the shooting battle gravates the hazard, as does the next all-out, realistic consequences which can line which. our people have been promised proposal to send these ships into combat flow from this pending expedient, which, we would faithfully seek to avoid. zones and into belligerent ports. It is the in its original form, was frankly tem­ Therefore I shall contend that the arm­ direction rather than the length of this pered to the persistent reluctance of the ing of our merchant ships does not con- step which is so portentous. In my view, · American people, or what I believe is a 1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 8253 vast majority of them, to be led into this original character. It was no longer selves. But my point, at the moment, is valley of the shadow, if it can be avoided. neutrality, as such, which was the pri­ that the President was praising the suc­ By the thin majority of one-which, by mary objective. The impulse consciously cess of what? The Neutrality Act? the way, is a ghastly travesty upon the shifted. The new objective was non­ Why? Because we were "neutral"? unity we seek-by the thin majority of belligerence. But the dominating pur­ Not at all. Because we were still at one it has ordered not only the arming pose, according to every proponent of peace on account of the Neutrality Act! of merchant ships but also their dispatch this change, was still to keep America at The President is my authority. Nothing into combat zones and belligerent ports. peace. It was still to stop short of war. conclusive has happened to change that Mr. President, I do not see how intel­ To that noble and notable extent we still verdict from that day to this-in spite of lectual honesty can resist the conclusion kept in step with ourselves. But we con­ certain incidents to which I shall sub­ that when we arm an American mer­ fused ourselves, and we still do, by still sequently advert. I know of no present chantman, as I have said before, load her calling it neutrality. reason why we should niJw voluntarily with munitions of war, and send her Time marched on. We became less assault this source of grace and volun­ through an enemy blockade into a bel­ and less neutral in thought, prayer, as­ tarily invite the calamity we have sought ligerent port, she is certa!n to precipitate piration, and action. In the presence to avert. the shooting which will precipitate the of Hitler's bloody contempt for the ele­ It is very easy to ridicule the idea that war, which will cause her one day to be mentals of a decent world, it was im­ we should still nourish a so-called Neu­ followed by another shiP, this time a possible fo ... our hearts to be neutral, cer­ trality Act when there is no neutralitY. transport with the second A. E. F. I tainly my own included, and a law which That is where the phrase gets in its . shall not neglect to remember the trans­ still wore this title was easily derided in deadly work. But it is not so easy to port, as well a~ the merchant ship, as I popular discussion and became highly ridicule the nonbelligerence which we proceed. vulnerable-chiefly because of this anom­ still relatively enjoy, the peace which is But, Mr. President, there is one amend­ alous title-to further congressional as­ still relatively ours, and the right of deci­ ment, to the so-called Neutrality Act sault. Cash and carry blurred the title. sion which we still possess, thanks chiefly which might be useful. From my point Lease and lend completely destroyed any to the provisions of that act. That is of view, this discussion could be greatly semblance of its reality. I do not now why I have said that I wish we might simplified, and much inconclusive shadow · speak critically; I speak historically. We unanimously amend its title and its boxing could be avoided, and we would long since ceased to be neutral. We do statement of objective. It is an act to all come infinitely closer to the realities not want to be neutral. Our official pol- keep us out of war. It no longer has of this solemn occasion, if we were to . icy, fixed by constitutional process, is not anything to do with neutrality. But it agree to amend the title of the so-called neutral. Yet the law itself still preserves still has infinitely much to do with our Neutrality Act and its declaration of this anomaly in its nomenclature even status and our purpose to "go forward purpose. When it was born some 6 years though it long since ceased to preserve in peace," requoting the President of the ago, born of the well-nigh unanimous it in fact, and so we find ourselves im­ United States. It still has infinitely zeal of the President, the Congress, and paled upon a phrase. much to do with the welfare, the free- the country for a new philosophy of in­ Now the tragedy of it is that the phrase . doms, and the destiny of the Republic. ternational action which should seek to has confused our thinking, and still does If we voluntarily abandon its insula­ insulate us from the everlasting wars of today; but the phrase itself has had tions, do we not also abandon its pur­ other worlds, it was then correctly called nothing to do with our actual American pose and results-namely, "to go forward neutrality. It was neutrality, an im­ objectives, as officially asserted by the in peace"? If we do, Mr. President, then partial aspiration to treat all subsequent President and a majority of Congress, let us have done with dissembling plati­ belligerents on earth alike, without fear through all these 2 bitter years of tudes. Let us quit equivocations. Let of one or favor for another, and to avoid world war No.2. Neutrality has not been us be frank. For example, I have noth­ such intercourse and collisions with all the law's objective since the fall of 1939. ing but pity for the transparent pretense belligerents as had theretofore brought us . It is not the law's objective now. which would try to argue that modern to involvement and disaster. It was ·But whe:r;t. neutrality was taken out of Moscow-whatever its other magnificent neutrality, in keeping with the Presi­ the law in 1939, and when events sub­ valors-is now a comfortable sanctuary dent's tremendous statement at Chau­ sequently took it out of our hearts, there for free religion where the humble Christ tauqua on August 14, 1936: remained, and there still remains today, is safe. That sort of opportunism and expediencey will not do when our deci­ We can keep out of war- another tremendous aspiration to which 80 percent of our people still tenaciously sions involve the mortal destiny of an The President speaking- cling, despite the nervous trigger fingers entire generation of our own precious We can keep out of war if those who watch of some of our more battle-conscious flesh and blood. and decide- statesmen. That objective, simply stated, Another example-this time in the exact language of the Secretary of the That includes us- is to stay out of a shooting war unless a shooting war comes to us, and to avoid Navy himself: have a sufficiently detailed understanding of needless provocations that would need­ It is a tremendously humiliating thing that international affairs to make certain that the the greatest • • • country in the world small decisions of each day do not lead toward lessly drag us in. When neutrality went It has resorted to the device of sending its ships war and if, at the same time, they possess out nonbelligerence came in. was to sea under the flag of little Panama. the courage to say "No" to those who selfishly scarcely less notable and even more tan­ or unwisely would let us go to war. gible and realistic. It won a third-term Then the Secretary pleads that we be realistic. Yes; let us be realistic. Let It was neutrality at that time, and we Presidency for Mr. Roosevelt and no one were writing the "new rules of the game" has expressed it more clearly than he did us be frank. ahead of the game itself, and beyond the in a campaign speech on October 28, Let us not plead guilty to the indict­ 1940: ment which Mr. Constantine Brown, a purview of a~1y subsequent cohfiict to which they might apply; so that all sub­ By the Neutrality Act of 1935, and by other notable Washington commentator, filed steps • • • we made it clear to every in a recent issue of the Washington Star, S€quent belligerents might take due and American and to every foreign nation that when he said, paraphrasing Churchill: timely notice of the greatest single ex­ we would avoid becoming entangled (in war) Never in the history of the world has so periment in behalf of its own peace ever through some episode beyond our own bor­ much been kept from so many by so few. taken by any major power in the history ders. These were measures to keep us at of civilization. The title of the act was peace. And through the years of war since If our policy no longer intends to stop then correct. It was neutrality. 1935 there has been no entanglement and short of war, let the naked "issue be pre­ But when the first major change was there will be no entanglement • • •. We sented to the Congress of the United made in 1939 and the arms embargo was shall continue to go forward in firm faith. States under the requirements of the repealed, after war had again cursed the We shall continue to go forward in peace. Constitution. world and it became the policy of the That was an open covenant, openly I detour for a philosophical moment Executive and a congressional majority, arranged, and accepted by America. So to suggest-perhaps whimsically- -that acting entirely within the Constitution, to far as I am concerned, it stands today­ there are two speculative questions with remove unpremeditated handicaps to and it can be amended only by a foreign which historians will toy for many years Britain, the act substantially shed its enemy, or by the American people them- after we shall have died. The first is 8254 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE . OCTOBER 27 whether a virile, practical League of preserve pan-American independence Preceding our entry ·into World War Nations in 1919-20 might not have saved against them all forever and at all haz­ No. 1, 20 American merchant ships were the second world debacle. The second ards? Is that a display of impotence? sunk or damaged, and numerous Amel'i· question is whether a truly neutral Amer­ Who among those who have sustained can lives were lost. Remember that, as Ica controlled by the full spirit of the these theories to which the Secretary of a matter of fact we did not enter World original Neutrality Act of 1935, might War so disparagingly refers, ever asked War No. 1-April 6, 1917-until more than not have had moral power enough to that we disarm alone or that we seek 2 years after the first American ship had have stopped the second debacle before safety in impotence or that we put white been sunk by direct belligerent action­ it became a holocaust. But I pass the feathers in the eagle's tail? January 27, 1915. According to a com­ futility of such speculation. Human And who thinks we are impotent? pilation prepared by the Library of Con­ frality proceeds by trial and error. We Does Mr. Hitler? Does Mr. Mussolini? gress, and presented to the Senate in the now confront a condition; not a theory. Does the Mikado? If they do, they will debate on the arms embargo repeal, by Here we are-on the brink of a war 1 be sadly disillusioned. Who, besides the distinguished Senator from Texas which 80 percent of the American people Secretary Stimson, thinks we have been [Mr. CoNNALLY], who now serves as still wish to avoid. Here we are-on the trying to make America safe by making chairman of the Committee on Foreign brink of a war which some of our citizens it impotent? Where is the love of im­ Relations, 26 American vessels were at­ would welcome, but from which most of potence to be found in the attitudes of tacked or sunk by Germany and her them, on bended knee at the hearthstones those of us who, while sustaining the the­ partner powers before we entered World of the Republic, are asking God every ories which Secretary Stimson con­ War No. 1, and many American lives were night to save us. demns, have voted billions for a military sacrificed as a result. Indeed, the dis­ Here we are, the Senate of the United impregnability which is much too slow tinguished Senator from Texas was very States, asked to strike down the last pre­ in arriving to suit any of us, and which explicit in his statements in this con .. cautions which in our calmer moments nection. Said he: we thought would protect us against ought to be at least partially achieved needless war. The precautions have sub­ before we turn both the Atlantic and the Ships were sunk so often with the loss of stantially succeeded up to date, despite a Pacific into seas of American blood? American lives that American patience was few insufferable instances, as I shall No, Mr. President; I resist the Secre­ finally exhausted and in retaliation for that tary's thesis. I add, by way of direct ref­ sort of murderous warfare, involving as it prove. That is, they have succeeded if erence to the pending problem, that we did the loss of American lives and American our official objective has not reversed it­ shall not prove our recovery from any shipping, America finally declared the exist­ self since October 28, 1940, on the eve of such impotence as the Secretary de­ ence of a state of war-a war already made the most important election in American upon it by Germany. history, and unless we are no longer con­ scribes by the relatively timid expedient cerned about going forward in peace, of arming our merchant ships with Again he said: which is of necessity to say, relative wholly inadequate defense and then I voted for war because of the murder of peace. sending them to sea, even into belligerent American seamen and other American citi­ A few days ago the Secretary of War ports, to demonstrate that they suffer zens while they were in pursuit of their law­ said to the House committee dealing with from the precise frailty against which ful business· upon the peaceful highways of the distinguished Secretary so earnestly the sea • ~ • I do not desire to face a. this resolution= contends. similar vote 1n Congress at this time • • • These theories, 1n the so-called Neutrality we are trying to prevent that. Act, have resulted in legislation intended to Mr. President, I have felt it necessary make America safe by making it impotent. to make these general statements be­ Mr. President, I agree that the record cause of the general nature of the prob­ for 1915-17, as presented by the able Sen­ I deny any such theory, either in the lem we confront and because of my belief ator from Texas, called for war. I agree original act or in what is left of it, and that this pending decision is one of the that it would call for war again. I agree I think we once more confuse ourselves last which Congress can make to control that it will produce open, all-out, shoot.. if we listen to such libel. I repeat that I the war destiny of the Republic, so far as ing war again in 1941 if the Axis makes deny any such theory. I deny any such that control has not already passed to the horrible mistake of even approximat­ objective. I deny any such result. I Hitler and his disposition toward the ing that record again. But the arming deny any such impulse on the part of policies we have already embraced. I of merchant ships did not prevent it. those of us who still resist the trends im­ think the joint resolution transcends the On the contrary, in the opinion of most bedded in the pending resolution. importance which would attach to its international authorities, it hastened the Is a nation impotent because it own limited text, even if that text be final tragedy. Indeed, just 23 days chooses a supreme ideal of peace? If so, amended to repeal all that is left of the elapsed between President Wilson's arm­ it is passing strange that the founder of so-called Neutrality Act. But I now nar­ ing of our merchant ships and our subse­ the Christian religion should have been row the discussion to the joint resolution quent declaration of war. able to extend his sovereign influence as it passed the House and to the pro­ We went to war-after arming our across 2,000 years of time. posal to arm our merchant ships-that merchantmen-because so many of our Is a nation impotent because it con­ being the point of departure for this en­ ships were sunk and so many Americans sciously elects, if possible, to keep out of tire new enterprise. lost their lives. Twenty years later we other peoples' wars and out of the power Let us measure the precise extent, the wrote the so-called Neutrality Act, in· politics which shackle other continents? realistic extent, of the American mer­ cluding a ban on arming merchantmen If so, Washington and Jefferson were chant marine's past and present hazard and a ban oil allowing them in combat wrong, and most of our pre-Stimson days which is supposed to be dispelled by the zones or belligerent ports, for the pur­ were blemished in a fashion which belies present action. Then, with our experi­ pose of preventing, so far as possible, a the grandeur we assign to these great ence in World War No.1 as a background, repetition of that tragedy which 80 per­ characters. let us see what practical statesmanship cent of the American people still wish to Is a nation impotent because it volun­ should do about it, assuming that we wish avoid, despite an eq·Jal proportion-in­ tarily chooses to withhold itself from to pursue the objective which the Presi­ cluding myself-which prays nightly for acts which, in its own experience, are dent once defined in these precious but the defeat of the Axis. calculated to drag it into alien quarrels? forgotten words: If so, strong men cannot be prudent Has the effort failed? That is the crux without being cowards. I can at least make certain- of the situation. That is the key ques­ tion to be answered. Where, Mr. President, is the American The President of the United States is impotence that fiows from these self­ speaking- Remember, there were 26 attacks on restraints? Did any of us ever suggest American merchant ships before we went ! can at least make certain that no act of to war in 1917. that we shoUld have no powder simply the United States helps to promote war. because we have wanted to keep our How many American merchant ships, powder dry? Did we not at all unitedly The proponents of the joint resolution under the American fiag, have been sunk notify the world, and all its restless, to suggest-perhaps whimsically-that by Axis Powers in the present war? Just reckless tyrants that the Monroe Doc­ our ban against arming merchantmen three, the Robin Moor, whose cargo was trine now covers all of North America has not worked to the advantage of their probably 70 percent contraband, accord.. and South America and that we will relative safety. What are the facts? ing to our own World War definitions, 1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 8255 and the Steel Seafarer and the Lehigh. chant ships when they take on the char­ icy? No, indeed; but I say that, so far Just three. acter of battle craft, plus some signifi­ as our merchant ships are concerned-­ How many Americans have lost their cant proof of how inadequate the casual and that is all we have before us-we lives as a result? None, not even one. arming of merchantmen would be in should continue to leave the war initia­ How many American merchant ships dealing with a hazard which the full tive with Germany where it now rests. have been attacked by the Axis Powers, battle equipment of a destroyer cannot We should leave our merchant ships with though not sunk? One, the Arkansan. forefend. the greater protection of the immunities Possibly there is one more which I am Let no intolerant critic say that this which they possess when they are un­ unable to identify. argument contains within it so much as armed. If, then, Germany demonstrates But how many American citizens lost one syllable of palliation for contempo­ a sustained purpose and policy to violate their lives as a result? None, not one. rary German policy at sea; but we are these immunities which are legitimately Where, Mr. President, is the proof that tn the midst of dreadful, wholesale, world· ours under international law, let us not our policy has been a failure? Where is wide cataclysm in which we cannot ex­ stop with the poor recourse of putting a the proof upon which responsible legis· pect a letter-perfect record, no matter few guns on merchant ships, guns whi~h lators shall base their judgment that our what. we do. Everything in life is now provoke rather than forefend attack and policy in this particular connection relative. Relatively there is as yet no disaster. No; under such circumstancesw should change, and that we should now justification for considering that our if Germany nominates herself for such revert to the precise formula which the policy has failed. Secretary of State Hull a battle, let us protect tae American mer­ authentic American Journal of Interna· has very frankly said that under the chant marine with every recourse avail­ tional Law declares was largely respon· policy which he recommends, as em­ able to our rising might. sible for our involvement in 1917? braced in the pending resolution, "some­ Let it not be forgotter. for a single mo­ When the President of the United body will get hurt now and then." Well, ment that international law and practice States addressed a joint session of the Mr. President, we cannot escape that grant our merchant ships certain well­ Congress on September 21, 1939, in behalf same hazard in a world at war no matter established immunities at sea so long as of the embargo repeal, which he called what policy we pursue. "Somebody will they are simply unarmed merchant ships; the road to peace, he said: get hurt now and then." The fact that and on the face of the record in spite Our acts must be guided by one single "somebody will get hurt now and then," of rampant piracy in the world, the:re hard-headed though~keeping America out however, does not condemn the policy. still seems to be validity to this thesis of this war. The distinguished Secretary of State so far as we are concerned. If a belliger­ Where is the hard-headed thought­ specifically says so, and he is eternally ent gives clear evidence of a deliberate where is the hard-headed realism in be­ right in so saying. The controlling ques­ and sustained purpose to ignore this law half of "keeping America out of this tion is to keep these hurts to a minimum anci practice and to violate these immu­ war"-the President's phrase-if we fail and that is precisely what Congress nities, then I promptly join those who to distinguish between 4 ships and 26; thought these sections of the Neutrality urge that self-defense requires an ade­ if we fail to distinguish between that Act would do, and Congress was eternally quate answer in kind. But the practical "murder of American seamen and other right in so thinking. question will always. confront practical American citizens" to which the able Arming our merchant ships in 1915-17 statesmanship whether it is not wiser Senator from Texas referred and the loss did not save them. In the course of that and safer to deserve these immunities of not one single American life on an total experience, 35 of our armed ships and to rely upon them as long as possi­ American merchant ship in the present ultimately were sunk; and therE is no ble than voluntarily to abandon them in crisis? record that any armed merchantmen favor of wholly inadequate merchant I do not for an instant condone Ger­ ever sank a submarine. On the contrary, guns which destroy all semblance of im­ man inhumanity which neglected, in the there is ample evidence-and I shall pres­ munity and invite unequal attack. The case of the Robin Moor, to protect the ently advert to it again-that the arming practical question is whether it is not passengers and the crew who were f01·ced of our ships was a major factor in multi­ wiser and safer and more helpful to the into open boats hundreds of miles from plying our jeopardy and in precipitating only aims which Congress has ever aP­ land, contrary to the rule of interna­ an A. E. F. proved in the present crisis still to pursue tional law as clearly established. I do Oh, but it is said we must not overlook this course, in spite of a few disconnected not for an instant condone the wholly the fact that AXis submarines have sunk hostile episodes for which we can hold unjustified attack upon the Lehigh. It six American-owned vessels chartered to the German Government to strict ac­ was the act of a wanton pirate. An British trade and operating under the countability by other means than war .. attack upon even one American ship flag of Panama, and that six American until the all-out hostile purpose of an in violation of its legitimate immuni­ lives are reported to have been lost as a enemy is unanswerably clear in respect ties is a matter of grave challenge result. By no means let us overlook this to these merchant ships. and tremendous concern. I would hold exhibit. Some of these ships were armed, Our own record in World War No.1 un­ the German Government to strict ac­ to say nothing of the fact that they were fortunately lacked that consecutive fix­ countability for all of these acts precisely travelling in direct belligerent trade. The ity of purpose which might be desired as President Wilson did in his pre-war only American lives that have been lost when we seek light from the precedents; communications to Berlin-a thing, by have been under the precise conditions but, despite its detours, it points us the way, which apparently we are not which the pending resolution asks us to clearly to its own admonition. now doing. But so far as I am concerned, embrace, and under conditions where This question first arose in August there must be a deliberate repetition of the requirements of the so-called Neu­ 1914, when Secretary Lansing ruled that these incidents-there must be at least trality Act have been evaded by subter· the motive of a merchant ship in carry­ as much patience as President Wilson ex. fuge instead of being honestly observed. ing guns should determine whether it ercised in 1915-17-before we are war­ Our policy has worked. It is working. had lost its immunity; in other words, if ranted in saying that we confront a pat­ It has kept us out of a shooting war. If the guns were defensive only, the immu­ tern of hostility and hazard which en­ it is now changed, if we substitute provo­ nity still prevailed. I observe in passing titles us deliberately and consciously to cations for precautions, if we arm our at this point that the American Journal move in the direction of a shooting war merchant ships and turn them loose upon of International Law, January 1940, by way of answer, particularly when it is the sea, we rob ourselves of a priceless commented upon this first Lansing dic­ no answer at all unless it reaches its own advantage. We do not make the ships tum as follows: logical climax. safer, for their unarmed immunities are The fact that armament necessarily invited The attacks on the Greer and the still worth infinitely more than their· fee­ attack was overlooked. Kearny were attacks on armed war ves­ ble armed resistance; we simply send Please note this sentence: them into trouble; and the peace of sels, and, while they have their sinister Armament necessarily invites attack. bearing ~n Germany's general attitude, America goes with them. they do not bear upon what has hap­ Mr. President, do I overlook the general In other words, the pending resolution pened or will happen to our merchant international menace of German sub­ "invites attack." ships, unless it be that these attacks in­ marines? Do I overlook the gerieral haz­ By January 1916, Secretary Lansing dicate greater jeopardy for these mer· ard to America implicit in German pol- had changed his mind. He pointed f!Ut to 8256 CONGRESSIONAL=RECORD-SENATE OCTOBER 27 President Wilson the necessity of revers­ Secretary Lansing was very explicit on I have quoted Profe55or Hyde, and I ing the 1914 rule because of "the impos­ · this point. I quote him further. our own shall do so again. He is no band-picked sibility of a submarine communicating State Department speaking: -authority-chosen because of the nature with an armed meehant ship without ex­ The placing ot guns on merchantmen of his ·views--so far as I am concerned. posing itself to the gravest danger of be­ • • • ean be explained only on the ground I asked the for the ing sunk by gunfire • • • and the of a purpoee to render merchan1meu superior best available. authority upon this sub­ unreasonableness of requiring the sub­ in force to submarines and to prevent warn­ ject. and that is how I got Professor marine to run the danger of being de­ ing and viflit and seal'Ch by them. Any ar­ Hyde. He says: stroyed by giving warning to a vessel car­ mam.ent, therefore, on. a. me:rchant. vessel The equipment of a belligerent merchant would seem to have the character o! an marine for hostile service, even though de­ rying armament." Therefore, he sug­ offensive armament. gested that merchant vessels disarm. signed to be def~nsive rather than o1fensive, That is the exact opposite of the instruc­ Here, again, the contemporary analogy serve& on principle to deprive the armed ves­ sels of the right to claim immunity from tions in the pending resolution. is unescapable. These guns upon such attack without warning. It may be doubted Secretary Lansing pointed out, more­ American merchant .ships as get them whether the wtse and humane effort to ob­ over, that if some merchant ships were will be operated by gun crews from the tain hereafter general recognition by mart­ armed, all would expose themselves to United States Navy. These gun crews time states or the &Olld equities of unoJfend­ the danger of unwarned attack and will be operated under the Navy's shoot­ lng belligerent vessels and thus also to safe­ sinking. Please note that sentence, our on-sight order. The result is to confirm guard the lives and property of · neutr~l oeeu- own Secretary of state being its author: of . pants, will be strengthened by declarations Secretary Lansing's. definition offen­ assertive of immunities for armed ships. Armed merchant vessels expose themselves sive armament without the remotest · The proposal of Secretary Lansing a! Janu­ to the danger of unw&rned attack and possibility of refutation. . ary 18, 1916, is believed to indicate the correct stnking. Now I return to the chronology in theory and therefore the true basis of the rule That is the result. if not the inten­ World War No. 1. Following a German to wbich states generany would be invited to tional objective. of the pending resolu­ announcement in February 1916 that. fn adhere. tion. View of existing circumstances, armed What was Secretary Lansing's proposal The point made by Secretary Lansing enemy merchantmen "no longer possessed on January 18, 1916? It was "that mer­ that if some merchant ships were armed the right to be considered as peaceable chant vessels of belligerent natiomility and others were not armed. all of them vessels of commerce and that German shduld be prohibited and prevented from would "expose themselves to the danger naval forces would receive orders to treat carrying any armament whatever!' It of unwarned attack and sinking,'' is par­ such vessels as belligerents," American · goes without saying that such a rule,'ap­ ticularly pertinent today in assessing the policy substantially reverted to its 1914 . plied to merchant vessels of belligerent relative liabilities and assets of the coW'se contention that motive shoUld be the nationality, would apply with infinitely which we are now asked to pursue. · controlling factor. On this point the greater force and effect to neutral mer­ Now, follow me, Mr. President: . American Journal of International Law : chantmen-and you can take your choice We have 1,200 Anierican-fiag merchant says: · in ' defining the status which our own ships upon the seas and the number is Conclusive evidence of a purpose to use the ships now occupy. constantly increasing, and at least 500 of · armament for aggression was to be deem~d As a layman, I would not presume to them are in the overseas trade. It is a essential. The distinction between offensive cross·even the threshhold of a discussion matter of record that it will take 4 and defensive armament, which Lansing had of international law; but I can draw but months to arm only 200 of them. Even exposed as an 1llusion, was now revived in the one conclUSion from my reading on the though this covers the segment of the fantastic contrast between merchantmen subject and from this record. It is un­ armed for aggressive purposes and peaceful :fleet sailing the Atlantic, the cold, hard armed merchantmen. wise to arm our merchant ships. It is fact remains that after the first mer­ unwise to renew the policy embraced chantman is armed the whole fleet-all If this distinction was an illusion within the pending joint resolution. It 1,200 of them-will lose their unarmed. then, it is worse than an illusion under is a source of jeopardy not only to our immunity, for whatever it is worth, be­ the shoot-on-sight program which we ships but to our own status in a war-torn cause no enemy .craft can be reasonably confront. world. It is calculated to rob the ships expected to run the risk of its own de­ Referring to this change in American themselves of a relative immunity which, struction by first getting peacefully near policy in 1916, Prof. Charles Chaney except under extraordinary circum­ enough to discover and identify the char­ Hyde, in his highly authoritative book on stances, is a far safer reliance than a few acter of the American merchantman. At international law, says on this point: inadequate guns. It is calculated to rob the end of 4 of what will be the most The author, with greatest deference for the the country of an advantage which still critical months in the history of tbe opinion of those responsible for the memo­ attaches, relatively speaking, to our ab­ world, only 200 of these American ships randum, confesses his inability to accept it as stention from acts bf aggression and acts will be armed. A thousand American a statement of international law. of provocation upon the high seas. · Mer­ merchant ships will be sent to sea with­ chant arms did not protect our ships in out either the arms which are presumed Referring to Lansing's reversal of his World War No. 1. They cannot do so in to protect them or the immunities which first, sound opinion. World War No. 2. If we are brought to might protect them if they were unarmed. Still more important is the editorial face the necessity of abandoning reliance I confess it sounds to me like a pro­ assertion of the American Journal of In­ upon these unarmed immunities, Mr. gram of. sheer suicide. It is not enough ternational Law in January 1940 that this President, then it is not enough to pass to reply that we shall have armed the ruling was "directly responsible for Amer­ the pending joint resolution. It is neces­ Atlantic segment. It would be childish to ican entrance into the war in 1917 ." This sary to do vastly more. We must go to ignore the equal potentialities of a Pa­ is undoubtedly a dangerous generaliza­ war. cific hazard. Indeed, 1 of our 3 ship cas­ tion. Certainly many other factors pre­ Admittedly, international law is a weak ualties even thus far was a way off yonder cipitated our 1917 belligerency. But jt is reed upon which to lean in these days of in the Red Sea. The hazard is every­ highly significant to note the importance rampant international piracy; although where. It confronts every American mer­ which is attributed by experts in inter­ it scarcely lies in the mouths of the pro­ chant ship wherever it may be; yet under national law to our effort to arm mer­ ponents of the pending legislation to the terms of the pending proposal a thou­ chantmen and still expect them to avoid make this rejoinder when their entire sand American merchantmen-under any attack without warning, or to seek to case today is predicated upon a return to theory we want to apply to this Iegisl:;t­ rely upon a presumption of defensive freedom of the seas under international tion-will be ·less rather ·than more pro­ innocence when a merchant ship is sent law. International law is not dead sim­ tected for many dangerous months, if not to sea with guns upon her decks. The ply because a reckless, ruthless madman years, after the pending resolution be­ presumption becomes more tenuous to­ breaks it, any more than a murderer re­ comes the law of the land. I do not see day when Navy Department gun crews peals our Jaw against murder. It is still how any other conclusion can possiblY operate these merchant guns under Navy a useful thing to have international law sustain itself. orders to shoot on sight. on our side. It will weigh heavily in his- 1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE 8257 tory, and it still has some highly prac­ All of the experience in this submarine chant ships, they must be diverted from tical present advantages. campaign to date demonstrates that it would our battle craft because our total supply be a seriously dangerous misapprehens!on to But it is not an abstract theory of this base our action on the assumption that any is so inadequate. nature which challenges my primary in­ armament on merchantmen is any protection · Under all these circumstances I am terest. It is the cold, hard, realistic fact against submarines which are willing to use trying to say that I do not understand that on the face of the record, our mer­ their torpedoes. the extreme language used by Secretary chant ships are physically safer and our of the Navy Knox in the House hearings country is less likely to sail headlong into I cannot escape the conclusion that upon this resolution when the distin­ the final hazards of war if these mer­ Admiral Sims' statement would apply guished Secretary said: with even greater force today when the chant ships continue to be unarmed, It seems to me un-American and discred­ and certainly if they continue to be kept fatal attack upon our merchantmen may itable for us to ask American sailors to sail out of combat zones and out of belliger­ come from the skies as well as from be­ out upon the ocean Infested with merciless ent ports. But, of course, this attitude neath the waves. It may be said that pirates:, bereft of any weapons whatever to carries its own inevitable alternative, Admiral Stark, who now heads our naval resist attack. which is entirely in Mr. Hitler's hands. operations, disagrees with Admiral Sims. It may be said that this is a question Mr. President, it scarcely adds to The action of a belligerent may force us clarity or straight thinking to start call­ to the effective defense of our American which should be left to our naval experts with complete civilian acquiescence in ing our own policy un-American and dis­ merchant marine; but, if so, it must be creditable. The distinguished Secretary by methods far more drastic than the their recommendations. · But with great respect, I am bound to observe that our may always have 'wanted to repeal the arming of the ships themselves. I make so-called Neutrality Act as being un­ it clear, therefore, that there is nothing Commander in Chief is himself a civilian and that, therefore, it is finally ·a civilian American and discreditable, but he ac­ in my analysis which c.an lend the slight­ cepted his commission from a President est aid or comfort to Mr. Hitler in any opinion which controls. Furthermore, even so far as the ex­ who signed the act, and he himself very sustained hostilities which he may con­ prudently withheid any such anathema template against our merchant fleet. If perts are concerned, I think the follow­ ing colloquy in. the Senate Foreign Re­ when Congress was examining him to he turns his submarines loose upon us lations Committee is highly significant: determine his acceptability for the place in any such unrestricted warfare as his he holds. If I were to yield to the im­ hapless predecessor undertook 24 years Senator GILLET":'E. Has the Navy asked for the enactment of this particular measure? pulse to borrow his incendiary adjec­ ago, he will get exactly what hit his Admiral !3TARK. On the arming of ships? tives, I should say it is more un-Ameri­ predecessor 24 years ago-and it will not Senator GILLE'rl'E. Yes. can and more discreditable to ask Ameri­ be merely incidental guns upon a . poop Admiral STARK. No, sir; we did not initiatQ can sailors to accept new h.azards in deck. He has already made the grave 1~ . place of old protections without complete mistake of permitting certain relatively Se:uator GILLE'rl'E. It was not a request on and adequate all-out defense of their isolated episodes which have invited the the part of the Navy? - ships; and that .it is more un-American assumption, in some quarters, that this Admiral STARK. No, sir. and more discreditable to ask the Ameri­ is his purpose. But it seems to be In other words, Mr. President, our own can sailors on a thousand of these Amer­ obvious from the record-only four experts, the experts upon whom we are ican ships, which cannot be armed for American-flag merchant ships attacked asked to rely, and whose fundamental many months, to sail out upon the ocean, and no American lives lost-that there and primary responsibility it is to lay infested with merciless pirates, bereft is, as yet, no concerted over-all purpose down the demands which they want to not only of any weapons whatever to re­ to duplicate the crime of unrestricted make of us in assessing the necessities sist attack, but also bereft of whatever submarine warfare against us. If and of our defense and in assessing the neces­ immunities they might have had if their when this occurs, we shall respond in sities for the protection of our merchant ship had not traded its character as an kind. Until it occurs, I prefer to leave marine did not ask for this proposed unarmed ship for the character of a bat­ with him the responsibliity for the legislation, and it was not a part of their tle craft without possessing any of the initiative. theory and purpose. armament responsible for the transition. N-ow, let us consider whether the arms Whatever the metaphysics may be, the I do not believe, Mr. President, that proposed for our merchant ships are an fact is, as st:-.,ted by Admiral Stark in there is any tenable middle ground that adequate defense against attack. Ad­ writing under date of October 9, 1941, we can hope to occupy in connection with mittedly there is difference of opinion referring to our own experience: the development of this phase of our upon the subject. It is said-and I do N11 armed guard vessel was omcially credited foreign policy. I do not believe we can not question the statistics as presented With fatally damaging an enemy vessel. have our cake and eat it too. It is mY today by the able Senator from Texas­ unavoidable opinion that the pending th?,t armed British merchantmen have The fact is that only 3 of our 1,200 un­ joint resolution virtually asks for war, succeeded in this war in using their arms armed American merchantmen have and I say again I fervently hope I am to their own advantage. But it seems been sunk in 2 years of the present war. wrong. I do not mean that this is the clear to me that the weight of opinion, The fact is that when our ships have motive of its congressional supporters. as well as the weight of common sense, been transferred to Panamanian registry Quite the contrary; I mean it is the clearly demonstrate the gross inadequacy and then armed, they have been sunk. immutable law of cause and effect. I of this protection. I know of no better The fact is that the New York Times only think it is highly significant that in less authority upon such a subject than the last week reported the experience of an than a week after the House voted only late Rear Admiral William S. Sims, who American skipper whose ship was closely to arm our merchantmen the Senate in his lifetime was one of the great fig­ inspected from the air by a heavy Qer­ has been asked to send these armed ures in American naval history and tra­ man bom)ler which flew away without ships into combat zones and into bellig­ dition, and who himself was a World War attack upon the American ship, and the erent ports. Before this debate is con­ naval commander with high responsibil­ American skipper said in effect, "If they cluded the Senate will be asked even to ity. In his book, entitled "Victory at had found us armed we should have been tear up the last vestige of the so-called Sea," Rear Admiral Sims says: attacked." The fact is the successful Neutrality Act, which, whatever its The merchantman's inherent weakness is use of guns upon the restless deck of a shortcomings, has thus far discouraged lack of speed and protection (armor). Guns moving ship against swift flying aircraft most of the incidents which otherwise are no defense against torpedo attack with­ or submarines is exceedingly difficult at would probably have long since unavoid­ out warning, which is necessarily the enemy best, as two of our own American naval ably disrupted our peace. I think this method of attack against armed ships. In destroyers have recently demonstrated, sequence is horribly logical. If you are this area alone during the last 6 weeks 30 and the chances for successful use are willing to take the first step and arm armed ships were sunk by torpedoes without vastly minimized on a merchant ship the merchant ship, I do not see how you submarine being seen, although 3 of these have furthered the general program to were escorted each by a single destroyer. which is only casually equipped and Cases are on record of submarines making , which is not even navigated by naval which you subscribe unless you then successful gun attacks from advantageous experts in coordination with their gun send that ship into combat zones and sun position against armed ships without crews. The further fact is that in put­ into belligerent ports. But if you do, I ship being able to see submarine. ting antiaircraft guns upon these mer- think you will shortly :find yourself in 8258 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-SENATE OCTOBER 27 all-out war. If you are willing · now to lions of the victims of aggression. I won­ neglected to .condemn Hitlerism with accept this consequence, you are justified der if Mr. Churchill and Mr. Roosevelt adequate anathema it is only because I in initiating it; but not otherwise. must not really be talking about free­ have here been engrossed in other phases Since I will not accept the consequence, dom of the seas for just Britain and of our problem and not because of any until an enemy leaves me no alterna· America ask the Senator about one of the relatively minor desk a joint resolution which I ask to prise will be reporting in March a loss have read, and then I shall ask unani­ instead of a profit. amendments, Senate amendment No. 11, which provided $217,500 for the Forest mous consent for its immediate con­ I greatly regret, Mr. President, that sideration. the Senate conferees were not successful Service. What was the outcome with ref­ erence to that amendment? The VICE PRESIDENT. The joint in persuading the House conferees to resolution will be read. accept the two simple amendments for Mr. ADAMS. The situation with re­ spect to that amendment was that the The joint resolution

8268 CONGRESSIONAL ·RECORD-HOUSE OCTOBER 27 sent that notwithstanding that it may be marks in the RECORD and to include The bill was ordered to be engrossed inserted in the RECORD. therein an article from the Dairy Rec­ ·and read a third time, was read the third The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there ord, published in St. Paul, Minn. time, and passed, and a motion to recon­ objection to the request of the gentleman The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there sider was laid on the table. from Arkansas? objection to the request of the gentleman NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SUPPLEMENTAL There was no objection. from Iowa? APPROPRIATION BILL Mr. McCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I There was no objection. ask unanimous consent to extend my own Mr. HOBBS. Mr. Speaker, I ask Mr. CANNON of Missouri submitted remarks in the RECORD and include unanimous consent to extend my re­ the following conference report and therein a very beautiful poem written in marks in the RECORD and to include statement on the bill . The Clerk will report the next my remarks by inserting an editorial Clerk will report the first amendment in amendment in disagreement. from the Missouri Farmer. disagreement. The Clerk read as follows: The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without The cierk read as ·follows: Amendment 23: Page 24, line 14, after objection, it is so ordered. Amendment No.8: Page 6, line 9, insert: wviolence" insert ": ProVided, That for the There was no objection. purposes hereof an aflidavit shall be consid­ "OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR PERMISSION TO SIGN BILL DURING ered prima facie evidence that the person ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE "Notwithstanding the provisions of section making the aflidavit does not advocate, and 1222 of the Revised Statutes (U. S. C., title is not a member of an organization that Mr. ·McCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask 10, sec. 576), a commissioned officer on the advocates, the overthrow of the Government unanimous consent that notwithstand­ active list of the United States Army may be of the United States by force or violence: ing the adjournment of the House the appointed to the oflice of Federal Works Ad­ Provided further, That any person who ad­ Clerk be authorized to receive a message ministrator without loss of or prejudice to his vocates, or who ls a member of an organiza­ from the Senate and the Speaker be status as such commissioned officer, and when tion that advocates, the overthrow of the authorized to sign the enrolled bill of the so appointed he shall receive, in addition to Government of the United States by for~e his pay and allowances as such commissioned or violence and accepts employment the sal-: House (H. R. 5788) making supplemental oflicer, an amount equal to the difference be­ ary or wages for which are paid from any appropriations for the national defense tween such pay and allowances and the salary appropriation in this act shall be guilty of for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1942, prescribed by law for the oflice of Federal a felony and, upon conviction, shall be fined and June 30, 1943, and for other purposes. Works Administrator." not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there Mr. CANNON of Missouri. Mr. more than 1 year or both: Provided further, objection to the request of the gentleman That the above penalty clause shall be in from Massachusetts? Speaker, I move that the House recede addition to, and not in substitution for, any and concur in the Senate amendment. other provisions of existing law." There was no objection. WORLD CITIZENSHIP This is merely a provision designed to Mr. CANNON of Missouri. Mr. extend the statutory latitude under which Speaker, I move to recede and concur in Mr. TABER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unan­ the President may make an appointment the amendment of the Senate. imous consent to address the House for to the of...1ce of Federal. Works Adminis­ The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 1 minute. trator. gentleman from Missouri moves to re­ The SPEAKER pro tempore. Wj~hout The SPEAKER pro tempore. The cede and concur in the Senate amend­ cbjection, it is so ordered. question is on the motion of the gentle­ ment. There was no objection. man from Missouri. Mr. CANNON of Missouri. Mr. Mr. TABER. Mr. Speaker, some of us The motion was agreed to. Speaker, this amendment specifies pro­ noticed an announcement by John G. A motion to reconsider wa::; laid on the cedure and penalties necessary to carry Winant, who has been sent as Ambas­ table. into effect the accompanying paragraph sador to Great Britain in the custody of The SPEAKER pro tempore. The prohibiting, upon conviction for viola­ Bennie. Cohen. Mr. Winant said that Clerk will report the next amendment in tion of provisions in the House bill, use some of us were going to welcome world disagreement. of funds for payment of any person who citizenship after this war was over. 8272 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE OCTOBER 27 I can see a reason for contributing leader asked unanimous consent that the tleman from Georgia [Mr. Cox] and by funds to get rid of this Hitler menace, Speaker might be permitted to sign cer­ the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. but why we should put ourselves in the tain bills, to object, then make a point of SMITH), and I have ofiered a few myself, position where the United States of order that a quorum was not present, be­ to correct the situation, the majority America has got to support the rest of cause the ·rules of the House provide that party sees to it, through party discipline the world I cannot see, and that is what the House shall not adjourn for more and the cracking of the party whip, that world citizenship means. It means that than 3 days without the consent of the these corrective amendments are voted somebody else will tell us what we have other body. down. Why is that? got to do right along. I notice on the calendar the request The First Lady of the land, as I stated [Here the gavel fell.] that when the House adjourns; that is, this morning, made the charge that by Thursday, October 23, it adjourn to fixing wage...; labor would be sold into in­ PERMISSION TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE meet on Monday, October 27, which is voluntary bondage. That might be true Mr. EDWIN ARTHUR HALL. Mr. today. Then down below there is the in a way, but it is not a whole truth. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that statement that the gentleman from Mas­ They would sufier no more than c.n of upon the conclusion of t.he legislative sachusetts [Mr. McCoRMACK] made the us if prices were fixed as provid€d in a business on Thursday and any special unanimous-consent request that when bill I offered last November and again orders previously agreed to I may address the House adjourns on Monday, today, it this session. It is only a half truth. A3 the House for 15 minutes. adjourn to meet on Thursday, next I stated this morning, she forgets. She The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without Thursday; and following that, that when forgets that Murphy, then Governor of objection, it is so ordered. the House adjourns on Thursday, Oc­ Michigan drove workingmen not to their There was no objection. tober 30, it adjourn to meet on Monday, jobs but from their jobs. Murphy, with EXTENSION OF REMARKS November 3. the President's consent, or at least with­ Why they did not continue this re­ out his objection treated Michigan work­ Mr. BOGGS. Mr. Speaker, recently I quest indefinitely I do not understand. ingmen like slaves, only he did it in re­ had the opportunity of visiting the port Just why the majority party with the verse. He refused to let them work in­ of embarkation and Army supply depot situation that exists in the country today stead of forcing them to work. He aided at New Orleans. The Army has done a should adjourn from day to day and re­ the violators of the law. · magnificent job there. I have taken the ·fuse to bring in any legislation to remedy liberty of preparing a brief summary of The First Lady does not condemn the the trouble we are in now is past under­ practice which has prevailed during the the activities there, which I ask unani­ standing on the part of the common mous consent incorporate in the last few years of selling American labor to citizens. into bondage, or of selling labor into the RECORD. It was amazing this morning to note The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without hands of the racketeering union offichils. the number of Members on the ma­ We all know the Truman committee dis­ objection, it is so ordered. jority side rise and condemn the failure There was no objection. closed that millions of dollars were of the administration to solve our labor charged to the American worker for the Mr. McCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I troubles. I heard no one speak in favor ask unanimous consent to extend my privilege of working on various defense of the program that is being carried on projects, among which were Fort Meade own remarks and insert in the RECORD, by the 0. P. M., the National Labor if not already inserted, an article re­ and Fort Belvoir. Making the American Relations Board, the Mediation Board, workingman, a carpenter, for instance, cently written by James Morgan. Madam Perkins, Sidney Hillman, or any The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without go out and buy a license and pay $57.50 of the "reds" who are in the administra­ for the privilege of working in defense of objection, it is so ordered. tion, and which, if continued, will con­ There was no objection. his own country, is bondage. tinue to render production impossible. I Where does that idea of compelling a Mr. CANFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask heard no approval of that program which unanimous consent to extend my own man to buy a license to work come from? is being carried on and which was so It comes from the White House, it comes remarks in the RECORD and to include an vigorously condemned. Those on the ma­ address made by me in Passaic, N.J., on from the administration, it comes from jority side talk a lot against it, but they Sidney Hillman, it comes from Madam the subject Passaic and Navy Day. will not do anything to change it. Not a The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there Perkins, it comes from that whole group thing is done. Everyone in the country who are working and boring from within. objection to the request of the gentle­ who can read and write, even those who man from New Jersey rMr. CANFIELD]? They are absolutely destroying not only There was no objection. cannot write but can read; in fact, some our preparedness program but our system of those who cannot read but can just of government and the country as well. PREVIOUS ORDER listen to the radio, know that our whole The President said sometime ago that The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a defense program is being hindered and he had returned to Washington those special order heretofore entered, the delayed; that aid to Britain, for which powers which in improper hands could gentleman from Michigan [Mr. HOFF­ the Congress has been asked and has destroy a republic. The hands are here, MAN] is recognized for 10 minutes. appropriated billions of dollars, is being but whose are they? They are improper Mr. HOFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have delayed by labor troubles. No one be­ hands sure enough. two unanimous-consent requests. The lieves for one moment, so far as I know, First, we had theN. L. R. B. which mis­ first is that when the House meets on that the honest, patriotic American interpreted and maladministered the law, Thursday, at the conclusion of the legis­ workingman is at the bottom of this and we have ofiered bills and the House lative business and any other special thing. voted to amend the National Labor Rela­ orders, I ask unanimous consent that I The "reds" are at the bottom of the tions Act. It went over to the other body may be permitted to speak for 15 min­ whole destructive business, the "reds'' and was defeated over there. During utes. who were encouraged last year by the this session of Congress the Members of The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there President's wife when she took them over the House have not had the courage, they objection to the request of the gentle­ -to the Dies committee, the "reds" who have been too indolent to adopt amend­ man from Michigan [Mr. HOFFMAN]? were encouraged by being entertained ments 'io this act. We have lacked a There was no objection. down here at the White House, the disposition to amend this law and put it Mr. HOFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I make "reds" she took into her own home at up to the Senate during the present ses­ the same request with reference to next Hyde Park. Those and their kind are sion. What is the matter with us? We Monday, November 3. the ones who are to blame, and in addi­ are drawing our pay every month. We The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there tion, a few racketeers and a few con­ never miss that, but we just will not legis­ objection to the request of the gentle­ victed, paroled criminals, and a few new late. The minority, of course, cannot. man from Michigan [Mr. HoFFMAN]? dealers in the administration. So the Over here on the Democratic side I see There was no objection. Members of the majority side get up here there are one, two, three, four, :five, six, Mr. HOFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, the cal­ day after day and talk about and con­ seven-the gentleman over here is just endar this morning discloses a most re­ demn the whole vicious procedure, but going out. He holds up his hand, he is markable situation. It was in my mind a every time an amendment is offered, and going to stay-eight, nine-there are few minutes ago, when the majority many have been offered, both by the gen- nine Democrats here. John Lewis told 1941 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE 8273 ihe President last night, did he not, by United States is lacking in courage, be­ awarded under the act of March 5, 1940; to his silence, at least, he gave him to under­ cause everyone knows that the President the . Committee on Military Affairs. of the United States is possessed of un­ 1019. A letter from the Secretary of War, stand and be informed of what? That transmitting a report under section 3 (b) the President could ask that the strikes limited courage, and has evidenced it on of the Selective Training and Service Act be ended but it did not make any differ­ many, many occasions. As a matter of of 1940; to the Committee on Military Af­ ence to John; they would continue. fact, most of his enemies have become fairs. About a year or two years ago I talked such because the President of the United on this :floor and asked a question of the States is possessed of courage. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES ON PUBLIC then majority leadershiP-! see the gen­ SENATE ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS tleman from Massachusetts [Mr. McCoR­ Under clause 2 of rule XIII, reports of MACK] is here-"Who is the big boss, John The SPEAKER pro tempore announced Lewis or the President?" I might add, his signature to enrolled bills of the committees were delivered to the Clerk Senate of the following titles: for printing and reference to the proper whether Bill Green is in that partnership, calendar, as follows: or whether he is not. But the sad, sad, S. 1508. An act to provide for the pay of fact remains that the President of the aviation pilots in the Naval and Marine Corps Mr. CANNON of Missouri: Committee of United States does not have the nerve­ Reserve, and for other purposes; conference on the disagreeing votes of the S. 1708. An act for the relief of Susannah two Houses. H. R. 5788. A bill making sup­ ! would not use the other shorter word­ Sanchez; and plemental appropriations for the national de­ he does not have the courage to challenge S. 1701. An act to provide for pay and al­ fense, ending July 31, 1942, and July 31, 1943 these labor leaders and tell them where lowances and mileage or transportation .tor (Rept. No. 1315) . Referred to the Commit­ to head in, where to get off. Is it be­ certain officers and enlisted men of the Naval tee of the Whole House on the state of the cause he gets the votes, because he wants Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve and re­ Union. to keep their political support? CertainlY tired officers and enlisted men of the Navy Mr. FULMER: Committee on Agriculture. and Marine CQrps. S. 588. An act tc5 give to the Secretary of he is not sharing in the graft that they Agriculture permanent authority to ·make collect. Is he, or is he not? You shake ADJOURNMENT payments to agrie;ultural producers in order . your head. No, certainly he is not, not Mr. McCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I to effectuate the purposes specified in section personally. Politically, you got $770,000, move that the House do now adjourn. 7 (a) of the Soil Conservation and DOmestic 1 year or more it was ago, according to The motion was agreed to; accordingly Allotment Act; with amendment (Rept. No. the report filed here with the Clerk, for 1316) . Referred to the Committee of the campaign expenses from John's organi­ (at 1 o'clock and 3 minutes p. m.) , under Whole House on the state of the Union. zations. Then the President and John its previous order, the House adjourned Mr. RANDOLPH: Committee on· the Dis­ until Thursday, October 30, 1941, at 12 trict of Columbia.. H. R. 5890. A bill to . had a little falling out, and now John is o'clock noon. regulate rents in the District of Columbia, back again telling the President of the and for other purposes; with amendment United States when his miners will work COMMITTEE HEARINGS (Rept. No. 1317) . Referred to the Committee and when they will not. Is this John's of the Whole House on the state of the Union. government? Or is it our government? COMllr!:ITl'EE ON INTERSTAT:. AND FOREIGN Mr. ROGERS of Oklahoma: Committee on COMMERCE Not only that, but the President's ad­ Indian Affairs. H. R. 5359. A bill to de­ ministration is going right along the same There will be a meeting of the Com­ clare that ·the United States holds certain dictator path. Here is the N. D. M. B. mittee on Interstate and Foreign Com­ lands in trust for Indian use; with amend­ ment (Rept. No. 1318) . Referred to the Com- · What did the N. D. M. -B. do? It told merce at 10 a. m., Tuesday, October 28, mittee of the Whole House on the state of these shipbuilders over here, the United 1941, to begin hearings on proposed the Union · States Steel Corporation shipbuilding amendments to Securities Act, 1933, and Mr. NICHOLS: Select Committee to Inves­ plant, "You either :fire these men who do Stock Exchange Act, 1934. tigate Air Accidents. House Resolution 125. not pay their dues or we will close down CoMMITl'EE ON IMMIGRATION AND Resolution creating a Seiect Committee to your yard." And the Government took NATURALIZATION Investigate Air Accidents; without amend­ it. over. Did the Government fire those ment (Rept. No. 1319) . Referred to the Com­ There will be meetings of the Com­ mittee of the Whole House on the state of men? Did it? mittee on Immigration and Naturaliza­ the Union. Down in Gary, Ind., the squads went tion on Wednesday and Thursday, Octo­ through the plant and told those boys ber 29 and 30, 1941, at 10:30 a. m., in re who belong to the A. F. of L., "You either H. R. 5870, H. R. 5879, and private bills. ~UBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS produce a C. I. 0. card and the receipt Under clause 3 of rule XXII, public showing that you paid your dues last COMMlTl'EE ON PATENTS bills and resolutions were introduced and week, or you get out." They threw the A subcommittee of the Committee on severally referred as follows: women over the fence; they threw them Patents under the chairmanship of Hon. By Mr. FULMER: outside. FRITZ G. LANHAM will hold hearings on H. R. 5912. A bill granting relief to certain Who is doing that? WhY, the union, trade-marks