Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1935, General, The Near East and Africa, Volume I

811.113 Senate Investigation/238

Memorandum by Mr. Joseph C. Green of the Division of Western European Affairs

[Washington,] April 10, 1935.

Mr. Raushenbush called me by telephone this morning. He invited my attention to Article IV of the Committee’s report of April 1 to the Senate, which reads as follows:

“The Committee is in substantial agreement on a principle to govern the export of munitions and contraband in case of a major war, and expects to make certain recommendations to the Senate on this subject in the immediate future and for action in the present session of Congress. This is the only phase of the neutrality problem which the Committee considers to be within its jurisdiction.”

He told me in confidence that some members of the Committee wished to go even farther in limiting the sphere of the Committee’s action and to have the Committee refrain from introducing any legislation in regard to contraband.

He said that Senators Nye and Clark²¹ had, in their personal capacities, introduced into the Senate yesterday neutrality legislation in regard to passports and loans.²² He explained that this legislation was not sponsored by the Committee.

I said that it was my understanding that the President, at his recent conference with the Committee, had requested the Committee not to introduce neutrality legislation without further conference with him, and that I felt that the introduction of such legislation by the Chairman of the Committee, without further conference with the President, might be misunderstood.

Mr. Raushenbush replied that I was correct in my understanding of the arrangement which had been reached with the President and that he saw that there was danger that such legislation introduced by Senators Nye and Clark might be considered to be Committee legislation. He assured me, however, that it was not.

Mr. Raushenbush said that the Committee was considering requesting the Secretary to confer with it in executive session, in regard to its program of neutrality legislation. He said that the Committee was very desirous to cooperate closely with the Department in this matter.

I suggested that perhaps the Committee might wish to wait until after it had conferred with the President before calling the Secretary.

Joseph C. Green

21. Bennett Champ Clark of Missouri, member of the Special Committee of the Senate Investigating the Munitions Industry.
22. S. J. Res. 99 and S. J. Res. 100, Congressional Record, vol. 79, pt. 5, pp. 5286 and 5287.