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Show . SasaBsBSsSSsmaTJSm I Today's Debate Call Oat Traffic Cop I r:- : . . 1 ; ' r JL n V 7 J - St - i 7 . r ' , '.-.! I i :.-.( ( l Se n ate" Fo rces Open Battle on ' Neutrality Bilj Idahoan Fears U. S, Cannot Stay Out of Conflict If Embargo Is Repealed; Nevadan Declares Peace Hinges on Lifting Ban , WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (AP) Senator Borah (R, Idaho) asserted today that if congress lifted the arm embargo to Europe's Eu-rope's warring nations, he did not "sea how" the United States could refuse to send armies to help the allies "in their hour of greater need." '''.' The veteran Idaho senator took the senate floor to voice the views of the opposition to the administration's neutrality bill to repeal the arms embargo after Senator Pittman (D., Nev.) had asserted that retention of the present law's embargo was "a discrimination dis-crimination in favor of Germany." Pittman, chairman of the foreign relations committee, wis pie first speaker In the momentous neutrality discussion. 'Reading a lengthy prepared address, Borah charged that the administration bill to revise the neutrality law had been accepted ac-cepted in Europe as an attempt to aid Great Britain and Trance . .v , in their struggle with naziisra. , ' ' Repeal of the embargo, he contended, would be likely to put this country In the position where it could not deny further help to the allies. Fears United States Will Be Involved "Can we," he demanded, "under the program we are now ' adopting and the reasons for adopting the same, stay off the battlefields bat-tlefields of Europe with our young men? "Having changed our laws and our policies that we may, as openly and repeatedly declared, send there in aid of the allies our arms because of their urgent call, will we, can we, In the hour of greater need, should that hour unfortunately come, re- ' fuse to send our armies? "Having put our hand to the plow and declared the reason . therefore when the furrows are comparatively smooth, will we turn back when we come to the roots and stumps of impending defeat? . "I do not see how we could. I doubt most seriously if we would. The only way I see that we can stay out of this war, having taken the first steps and the reasons for taking them, is for the war to end before we get there." Transfer of the title of arms ownership from American man- ' ufacturers to a foreign power, Borah argued, would give spies, dynamiters and bombers "standing invitation to visit the plants." Purpose Not Baa en War Borah departed from his prepared address to say: "This law was not intended to prevent war In Europe. It was to prevent the sale of arms and ammunition to warring nations na-tions of Europe. It is the law of the land and no arms have gone to Europe." Referring to former New York Governor Alfred Smith'! assertions that the "law has not worked," the Idaho senator said: "It Is working. It is preventing profits out of the sale of arms. "How has it not worked?" he asked. ' "We know," Borah said, "that the manufacturers of arm -and munitions are quite active in a desire to repeal the existing . law. Why? Because it is working." Pittman had offered the administration's neutrality bill to repeal the arms embargo as "the most important legislation IQowtwiiioi Foe faf. OoMMao) Pool I 1 - a - ALL PATHS IN WASHINGTON LED TO SENATE CHAMBER Here is part of throng; which poured Into visitors' gallery . BORAH POINTS TO U. S. WAR PERIL; 1 i PITTMAII PLEADS FOR ARMS SALE IIMM Trmm Pass Ostf that hag ever been proposed to congress" and said It was designed "for the purpose of keeping us out of European war." ' The crowded galleries remained quiet and attentive as Sen ator Borah read his prepared address. Advocates Humanitarian Stand ! - The veteran senator'! hand, holding his papers, shook slight-1 slight-1 ly as he asserted: A 1 "Arms are the source of conflict ... We bad a deep human!-f human!-f tartan sentiment against selling arms to warring nations.'' ' Borah Mid It was hi earnest conviction that the present ; neutrality net, with its arms embargo, did not conflict with in-i in-i , tarnations! law. He argued, rather, that to repeal the neutrality net after war had begun would be violation of international ' law. . ' "I am following the course which I am following solely be-. be-. cause of my desire to stay out of European war,' he declared. t "I can see nothing in this program contributing to the cause of peace. On the other hand, it seems clear to me that we art moving mov-ing rapidly to participating in this war. "Arms; munitions and Implements of war are things with which to fight, to destroy life, to win battles they are fit for nothing else. To furnish these things In the midst of a war to the advantage advan-tage of one side or with tht intent of assisting one aide, is to help in the des true ton of life and to win battles. AU Debates Held Useless "AIL the debates In the wnr1rl, In parliament, nr nn the tump, will have no effect as against the passion, the deep-seated war spirit of those who are on the field. To them the manufacturer, manufac-turer, the talesman, the carrier, all who participate in getting the instrumentalities to the scene of conflict, will be regarded and treated as enemies. "We will be in the war from the time the machinery is set In notion which carries these instrumentalities to the seat of war." Citing the proposed prohibition against transportation of goods to belligerents In American ships, Pittman contended that If our vessels cannot carry on commerce with belligerents and the belligerent belliger-ent powers know It there will be little ex cum. If any, for the destruction de-struction of American vessels en the high seas with the inevitable ' Long before the Nevada senator opened debate, crowds had Ignored n cold rain to throng the capitol I and overflow the senate's galleries. They were drawn by prospects of n debate expected to rank high among historic senate discussions. Weald Kelse Embargo The administration bill would wipe out the present embargo against the sale of armaments to warring countries, would require belligerents to take title to goods purchased In this country before ahlpment and would require that American goods be carried to belligerents bel-ligerents In non-American vessels. In addition, the president would be authorised to designate combat areas which American vessels and cltlsens could not enter. Pittman told bis colleagues that "no such grave situation has threatened the world in all history" as the current conflict abroad. He said these developments abroad had aroused a feeling "of fear and distrust In the minds of all people," but added: There would seers to be, fortunately, for-tunately, ne sufficient grounds for fear of being drawn Into this war as we were forced Into the World war, so long as we conform to the admitted preeepts of International law and prevent our dtlaens from subjecting themselves to destruction destruc-tion In the mad war raging In Europe, ays Baa Favors Nasal The Nevada senator said opponents oppo-nents of the legtsiauoa had eon-tended eon-tended repeal of the arms embargo would favor France and Great Britain, because they presumably would control sea commerce with the United atates. "We might put It the other way," Pittman argued, "and say that the maintenance of the embargo la a discrimination In favor of Germany, Ger-many, because It prevents Great Britain, which Is surrounded by wster, from purchasing in our mar-y mar-y keta arms, ammunition and Implements Imple-ments of war, whilst Germany, being a land power, has access to arms, ammunition and Implements of war that may be manufactured In Russia, Italy, Rumania, Yugoslavia Yugo-slavia and other countries. Pittman said under the existing law Germany could get American goods through such neutral countries coun-tries as Russia, Italy and Rumania. Reuse On stoeeevett Pittman said he had "every confidence" con-fidence" In President Roosevelt's declaration that he Intends to do everything possible to keep the United States out of war. loss of the lives of our seamen." He expressed the opinion that "It was the Inhuman and Illegal killing of our seamen on the high seas" which was responsible for this country's entry Into the World war. "Is there any doubt" Pittman asked, "that If Germany, under it contention that submarines cannot can-not safely rise to the surface and search and seise contraband on a merchant vessel, will eventually pursue the same policy as It pursued pur-sued In March, 1917?" Before to Orient Pittman said many people believed be-lieved that a prohibition against the sale of American armaments to belligerents "will entirely eliminate elimi-nate us from any part In the destruction de-struction of human lives during war." "How mistaken and unfounded Is this conception," he said. "We are participating la mass murder by the Japanese In China today." The senator contended that Japan now was purchasing raw materials In the United States and using them to manufacture arms for the war la China. Pittman supported a provision of the bill, sharply criticised by senators opposed to the legislation, which would permit belligerent governments to obtain credits up to SO days on purchases In this country. He said 90-day credits were considered con-sidered cash payments In International Interna-tional dealings. Pittman deviated from his prepared pre-pared speech several times, once to criticize "some thoughtless persons" per-sons" who, he said, "are saying that Woodrow Wilson led us late war and that Franklin Roosevelt Is leading us Into war." Also, he said, he was confident Mr. Roosevelt would not misuse any discretionary powers granted him by neutrality legislation. In this connection, however, Pittman said many mandatory provisions had been written Into the bill because be-cause authority should not be delegated dele-gated "where It Is unnecessary, to the president or any other single man or group of men. We know that the delegation of such authority author-ity Is not only unnecessary, but unwise." "last It evident he continued, that we cannot through . . . artificial arti-ficial laws with reference to Imports Im-ports by belligerent countries maintain either neutrality or equity?" |
