U.S. House votes to arm ships (10-17-41)

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The Pittsburgh Press (October 17, 1941)

Up to Senate now –
House votes to arm ships

Ballot taken as crisis grows more tense

Washington, Oct. 17 (UP) –
In an atmosphere echoing with denunciations of Japan and Germany, the House today passed and sent to the Senate a resolution authorizing the ships.

The vote was 259–138.

The Navy is ready to start arming the ships as soon as the Senate passes the legislation and it is signed by President Roosevelt. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will start work on the measure Monday.

The resolution would repeal Section 6 of the Neutrality Act, which now forbids armaments on merchant vessels, and would empower President Roosevelt to order the arming of such ships during the unlimited national emergency.

Passage of the legislation came only a few hours after the U.S. destroyer Kearny had been torpedoed off Iceland.

Mr. Roosevelt and other administration leaders also want Section 2 of the Neutrality Act repealed to permit the sending of armed American merchant ships into combat zones, from which they are now barred. It was generally conceded that the pending measure was a forerunner to introduction of legislation to repeal Section 2.

The House closed general debate on the measure shortly after noon.

Motion defeated

Opponents of the measure, who did not include the full House anti-interventionist forces, made a final effort to return it to the Foreign Affairs Committee for further consideration. When this was defeated, 257–136, the roll call on final passage became a routine procedure.

Newspapers announcing the attack on the Kearny were in evidence all over the House floor as members debated and voted on the resolution.

There were admonitions from isolationist spokemen that just 21 days after the ship arming issue was before Congress in 1917, the United States was at war with Germany.

Rep. Dewey Short (R-MO) charged in a last-minute address that the ship armiong resolution was designed:

…simply to create the incident which will plunge us all the way into the war.

Crisis has effect

Announcement of the Kearny incident, coupled with a mounting indication of further serious strain in Japanese-American relations weighed heavily in the House’s final action on the resolution.

Rep. Charles I. Faddis (D-PA) called on the administration to advise Japan that:

If they move in any direction, we will destroy their navy.

Rep. E. E. Cox (D-GA) observed that, once American ships have been armed, the deadline for criticism of administration foreign policy would have been passed.

Anti-interventionists called the ship arming measure “at little unimportant, impotent measure” and expressed fear that a far more serious step may be at hand.

‘Inviting assault’

In his opposition speech, Mr. Short described ship arming as “not only dangerous,” but a step which “may prove fatal.” He predicted the Senate would amend the resolution to repeal Section 2 of the Neutrality Act.

Mr. Short said:

We will be inviting assault without warning. During the last war not a single armed merchantmen set to the bottom a submarine or destroyer, while many of the merchantmen were sunk.

Rep. Karl E. Mundt (R-SD) declared that passage of the repealer would be:

…the step that starts a parade toward war’s desolation which you cannot halt.

The armed ship debate yesterday brought the first demand from the floor of the House for an American Expeditionary Force against Germany. It came from Rep. Vito Marcantonio (AL-NY), who, until Germany marched into Russia, had voted consistently – often alone – against appropriations for the Army, Navy and British aid.

Republican non-interventionists were vigorously attacked by Rep. E. Harold Cluett (R-NY) asserting that the country was waiting for leadership, he said he would rather follow:

…a man like Wendell Willkie rather than a dozen parading isolationists.

War-madness charged

Rep. George Holden Tinkham (R-MA) denounced President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull as “war-mad” and said they were seeking to “sabotage and completely destroy” the Neutrality Act:

…in an act of moral obliquity.

He said:

It is a contemptible imposture upon the American people and will be paid for with their blood and their tears.

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The Pittsburgh Press (October 18, 1941)

Senate foes of ship arming admit defeat

Opponents to save ammunition for combat zone entry

Washington, Oct. 18 (UP) –
Senate non-interventionists, privately conceding that the bill to arm merchant ships will pass, said today that their floor fight against the House-approved legislation will last only about a week.

They planned to save their heavier ammunition for an expected amendment to the Neutrality Act to repeal its ban on entry of American ships in combat zones.

The ship arming measure was given a 259–138 majority in the House amid tension reminiscent of World War I days. Grim legislators – both supporters and opponents of the bill – seized upon the torpedoing of the American destroyer Kearny and the uncertainties presented by the Japanese cabinet shakeup to emphasize their arguments for ansd against the legislation.

Senate Whip confident

Senate Democratic Whip Lister Hill of Alabama was confident of passage. He predicted the Kearny incident and the recent North Atlantic sinkings of American-owned merchant vessels would give proponents a few more votes than they have held in other foreign policy victories.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will meet Monday to arrange for hearings on the historic measure. They also are expected to be comparatively brief.

Opponents plan to ask that General Robert E. Wood, chairman of the America First Committee; John T. Flynn, economist and writer who is a member of that group, and former Ambassador to Belgium John Cudahy be called as witnesses.

Bitter fight later

Committee Chairman Tom Connally (D-TX) is understood to have assured House leaders he would not attempt to enlarge the scope of the bill, through a Senate amendment, to include the combat zone repealer. Informed sources, however, said that this issue will be submitted in a separate bill soon after passage of the armed ship legislation.

Opponents of administration foreign policy regard the combat zone provision as more important than the arming of merchantmen, and for this reason decided on a policy of reserving their main fight for the second bill.

Senator Burton K. Wheeler (D-MT), opposition leader, said he believed that Senate debate would not take more than a week. Foes of the bill, he said, would fight it on the one issue – passage or defeat – since the brief, one-paragraph measure is not a type suitable for amendments.

Administration challenged

He said:

The honest thing for the administration to do would be to come out openly and ask for a declaration of war, instead of moving by this deceitful method to back into war, step by step.

The House vote on the ship arming bill found the big majority of Republicans still opposed to Mr. Roosevelt’s international policy. A total of 113 Republicans voted against it along with 21 Democrats, three Progressives and one Farmer-Laborite. In favor of the measure were 219 Democrats, 39 Republicans and one American Laborite, Rep. Vito Marcantonio of New York.

Congressmen Eberharter, Scranton, Weiss and Wright of Allegheny County voted for ship arming while Congressmen Joseph A. McArdle voted against it.

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The Pittsburgh Press (October 20, 1941)

Neutrality Act issue –
Repeal proposed by 3 Republicans

Senate Foreign Relations Committee votes 12–9 to hold secret hearings; anti-interventionists reject rule of secrecy

Washington, Oct. 20 (UP) –
Three Republican senators today introduced a bill to repeal the entire Neutrality Act, as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to hold secret hearings on a House measure to strike out the Act’s ban on arming merchant ships.

The Republican measure to repeal the entire Act was offered by Senators Styles Bridges (NH), Warren R. Austin (VT) and Chan Gurney (SD).

Senator Kenneth McKellar (D-TN) recently introduced similar legislation.

Anti-interventionists, led by Senator Burton K. Wheeler (D-MT) have threatened to offer a rider to any such repealer to force a vote on an outright declaration of war against Germany.

Secrecy rule rejected

The Foreign Relations Committee voted 12–9 to hold secret hearings on the House-approved resolution authorizing the arming of merchant ships. Several anti-interventionist members of the Committee served notice that they would not observe the rule of secrecy.

The three Republicans’ Neutrality Act repealer was described by Senator Bridges as notification that:

…we are keeping faith with the patriots who founded this nation and created our heritage of freedom and progress.

Senator Gurney contended that repeal of the ban on armed merchant ships was a “halfway” measure evolved:

…in an effort to half-help our friends and at the same time half-placate our avowed enemies.

In voting secret hearings on the ship-arming resolution, the Foreign Relations Committee agreed to close the hearings not later than 5 p.m. Friday.

Motion by Glass

Sen. Bennett C. Clark (D-MO), a member of the Senate Committee and an anti-interventionist leader, said he would not be bound by any rule of secrecy, indicating that he would be willing to make public confidential testimony submitted before the group.

Chairman Tom Connally (D-TX) announced that the decision to keep the hearings closed came on a motion by Senator Carter Glass (D-VA), who favors repeal of the entire Neutrality Act.

Senator Connally said there was no discussion of a proposal by Senator Claude Pepper (D-FL) to make the bill a vehicle for repeal of the entire Neutrality Act. That move brought from Senator Burton K. Wheeler (D-MT), a threat that the opposition would counter with a rider calling on the Senator to vote on a declaration of war with Germany.

Senator Connally said he “assumed” that Secretary of State Cordell Hull would be the first witness at tomorrow morning’s session.

May release parts

Connally said the committee might make public later such portions of the testimony as the cabinet officer and executive officials who testify are willing to release.

Sen. Gerald P. Nye (R-ND), a member of the opposition, described the move for secret hearings as a “complete surprise.” He said:

It is a gag of the first order. It may or may not indicate how far we have drifted away from representative voice in government here.

He added that Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg (R-MI), and several others had also refused to be bound by secrecy.

Prior to the meeting, Senator Connally demanded that American sailors and ships “shoot and shoot to kill” to avenge the “murderous and foul crime” against the U.S. destroyer Kearny.

One of the men who helped in 1917 to filibuster to death President Wilson;s ship arming bill – Senator George W. Norris (I-NE) – announced he would vote for this one.

But Senator Connally challenged Senator Wheeler on his threat of a war resolution.

Senator Connally said:

Let him do it. Senator Wheeler has been carrying on guerilla warfare on our defense program and foreign policy all over the United States. I welcome his reappearance in the Senate where we may be able to meet him in open combat.

He will do anything to hinder or delay our national defense program and our foreign policy. For a number of years, he has not been in sympathy with our efforts to arm the nation for defense and he is not in sympathy now.

Senator Wheeler replied that Senator Connally:

…absolutely misrepresents my position.

He said:

The only reason the interventionists aren’t out speaking is because they can’t get anyone to listen to them unless they get Hollywood glamor girls to draw a crowd.

I am not opposed to the defense program. I am opposed to the administration taking us down the road to war. The only decent thing for the administration to do if they want war is to ask for a declaration from Congress.

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The Pittsburgh Press (October 21, 1941)

Before it’s too late –
Senate group urged to okay ship arming

Administration won’t press for repeal of Neutrality Act now

Washington, Oct. 21 (UP) –
Secretary of State Cordell Hull today urged the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to approve speedily a House resolution to arm American merchant ships, lest American “efforts at self-defense come too late.”

Mr. Hull was the first witness at hearings on the House-approved resolution. His testimony followed a White House conference with Congressional leaders, who reported that they would press at this time only for the ship-arming bill rather than repeal of the Neutrality Act.

Statement issued

The hearings were closed, but Mr. Hull issued copies of a prepared statement which he read to the Senate committee.

Mr. Hull said it was “both urgent and important” to repeal Section 6 of the Neutrality Act, which prohibits the arming of merchant ships. He repeated, but did not emphasize, his previous contention that Congress should repeal Section 2 which bans American ships from belligerent ports.

He said:

One of the greatest mistakes that we could possibly make would be to base our policy upon an assumption that we are secure when, if the assumption should prove erroneous, the fact of having so acted would lay us completely open to hostile invasion.

‘Our hands tied’

When American ships are being wantonly and unlawfully attacked with complete disregard of life and property, it is absurd to forego any legitimate measures that may be helpful toward self-defense. It is especially absurd to continue to tie our hands by a provision of law which prohibits arming our merchant vessels for their own defense.

In the presence of threats and acts by an outlaw nation, there arises the right, and there is imposed the duty, of prompt and determined defense.

The White House conference appeared to end for the time being any chance of administration support for immediate bipartisan moves to modify drastically or repeal the entire act.

Conference continued

Mr. Hull, Committee Chairman Tom Connally (D-TX), and Senate Democratic Leader Alben W. Barkley (KY) were among those who conferred with Mr. Roosevelt. The three left after a half-hour to attend the hearing. Speaker Sam Rayburn of Texas, House Democratic Leader John W. McCormack of Massachusetts and Vice President Henry A. Wallace remained with Mr. Roosevelt for another half-hour.

The three Democratic sponsors of the Senate resolution to repeal Section 2 of the Neutrality Act – Senators Claude Pepper (FL), Theodore F. Green (RI) and Josh Lee (OK) – had told reporters that their proposal would be adopted if Mr. Roosevelt:

…reiterates his stand that such action is necessary.

A more drastic measure, calling for repeal of the whole act, was introduced yesterday by three Republicans – Senators Warren R. Austin (VT), Chan Gurney (SD) and H. Styles Bridges (NH). The three are supporters of administration foreign policy.

The Lee-Pepper-Green proposal would add to the pending armed merchant ship repealer a repeal of Section 2 of the Neutrality Act – banning U.S. ships from belligerent ports – and of Section 3 – authorizing creation of combat zones into which American ships may not travel except under special regulation.

It would leave only a scrap of the Neutrality Act on the books. Virtually the only remaining provision would be the machinery for controlling export of munitions.

Glad of action

Senator Burton K. Wheeler (D-MT), opposition leader, said he was glad of Lee-Pepper-Green action:

…because that will bring the real issue before the Senate.

He said it would be “more honest” for the administration to offer a resolution declaring war on Germany.

He added that, if repeal of the additional sections is approved by the Senate, he expected to see a war resolution offered as a rider, but he did not know whether he or some other member would offer it.

Bitter floor debate

Senator Lee and Chairman Tom Connally (D-TX) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee clashed with Senators John A. Danaher (R-CT) and Arthur H. Vandenberg (R-MI) yesterday over the committee vote for secret sessions.

Senator Danaher charged that the action was taken:

…once more with chicane, once more with machinations, once more to deny to the American people the information they should have to make up their minds.

Senator Lee charged that Senator Wheeler, Charles A. Lindbergh and others among the opposition were “forging weapons for Hitler” by “inflaming” the country with speeches. Senator Wheeler was not on the floor and did not hear the attack.

Senators Pepper and Lee both said they would not vote for any war resolution, asserting it has no connection whatsoever with the pending legislation.

Word that the Panamanian government had removed its ban on the arming of Panamanian merchant ships was not expected to have any effect on the armed ship bill. Mr. Roosevelt, at a press conference after Panama announced the ban, said it increased the need for speedy passage.

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