Geography and armed ships vote (10-22-41)

The Pittsburgh Press (October 22, 1941)

Background of news –
Geography and armed ships vote

By editorial research reports

The attack on the U.S. destroyer Kearny, with the loss of American lives, may give the armed-ships bill a larger majority in the Senate than had been originally counted upon by the administration. The attack was reported on the morning of the day (Oct. 17) when the House passed the bill, but that may have still been too soon for the political effect of the attack to make itself fully felt. Moreover, when the House voted, the members did not know that American lives had been lost on the Kearny.

The Senate has shown itself more willing than the House to follow President Roosevelt on foreign policy. On repeal of the mandatory arms embargo in 1939, on conscription, and on the Lend-Lease Act, the opposition was larger in the House than in the Senate; and the bill to extend the conscription period beyond 12 months received a majority of only one vote in the House.

To some extent, this development has been due to the fact that the Democrats have greater strength on the Senate (69%) than in the House (61%). But the House vote on the armed-ships bill last Friday showed fewer Democrats and more Republicans supporting it than supported the Lend-Lease bill last February. Seven fewer Democrats and 15 more Republicans voted for the armed-ships bill than voted for the Lend-Lease bill.

An analysis of the vote in the House on the armed-ships bill shows that, irrespective of party, the Midwest is the section most strongly opposed to any step which might involve the United States in war. The New England Representatives voted better than 3–1 for the bill; the Mid-Atlantic, 2½–1; the Pacific Coast, better than 2–1. The Representatives from the South, both east and west of the Mississippi, were almost unanimous for the bill. The Rocky Mountain states showed an almost even division, but the Representatives from the Midwest were opposed by better than 2–1.

A majority of the Republican Representatives from New England voted for the armed-ships bill, while the Republicans from the three Mid-Atlantic states were evenly divided. Six of the seven women in the House voted on the bill, of whom three voted Nay (Mrs. Bolton of Ohio, Miss Rankin of Montana, Miss Sumner of Illinois).

Eight of the Representatives who voted for the Lend-Lease bill voted against the armed-ships bill, but 26 voted for the armed-ships bill who voted against the Lend-Lease bill. The shift of sentiment was greatest in the Mid-Atlantic and the Pacific Coast states.

The only state to go the same way as the whole country in every presidential election since 1892 has been Ohio. As a test of public sentiment, therefore, the vote of the Ohio Representatives (12 Democrats, 12 Republicans) on the armed-ships bill might be of interest. The Ohio delegation showed 10 Yeas to 14 Nays.