Mr. CAPPER. Mr. President, I feel it my duty at this time to present to the Senate what I believe is a fair cross section of the sentiment of the American people in regard to the foreign policy of the United States, especially in reference to the disturbed conditions in the Old World. These petitions are from Beloit, Larned, and Peabody, Kans.

In the past month I have received some 700 or more petitions to the Congress from Kansas and other western farm States. Some of the petitions were signed by three or four persons, others carried signatures running into the hundreds. They come from farmers and from residents of the small towns of America. I believe they give an accurate index of how a great majority of the people feel about the United states taking action which might embroil us in another European war. They are overwhelmingly against the United States taking any part in Old World conflicts. I myself feel the same way about it.

The letters I receive and the petitions which I intend to offer for reference to the Committee on Foreign Relations are almost unanimous in condemning the polices and actions of the dictator nations, especially the ruthless barbarity of the Japanese conquest of China. But they show an even more nearly unanimous agreement that the United States cannot hope and has no business to attempt to police Europe, Asia, Africa, or to settle the age-old boundary-line disputes in those continents. They are opposed to loans by the United States to belligerent nations. They are opposed to the sale of munitions of war to warring nations. Most of them are in favor of the war-referendum amendment to the Constitution, though the sentiment on this is not unanimous. They want the profits taken out of war.

They want peace–and they want peace by peaceful means.

BLUE MOUND, KANS., March 27, 1939. Senator ARTHUR CAPPER:
Washington, D.C.

DEAR SIR: I would like to add my voice in approval of giving the people of the United States a chance to vote on the question of whether or not our country should go to war. I think it should be put to the people and the people alone; they are the ones most vitally concerned. Of course, the exception would be in case our country is attacked. But the all-important question of war or not war should be left up to the people.

Sincerely,
Mrs. A.J. BRADLEY
(Mother of five young sons).FORMOSA, KANS., April 3, 1939.

DEAR SENATOR: We are very anxious over the war situation. We have two boys, one just old enough. He might have to go, so we are all back of you in your efforts to keep us on our own side of the waters. You have an interest in our prayers at all times. May God bless you in all you do in His cause.

As ever,
Mr. and Mrs. C.V. WARREN.WILMORE, KANS., March 29, 1939.

DEAR SIR: Please do everything you can for our peace amendment. We don't want war by any means. We want our blessed United States to steer clear of all European messes. Our Bible forbids us to go to war, and this is our only hope for a better life after this. I am a mother of three fine boys, and these are honest and God-fearing young men. And we do not believe in taking lives of others. Just let the men overseas fight their own battle. They got in the mess; now let them settle it! Please vote for peace, which I am sure you will.

Mrs. JAKE LEMON (a mother).HUMBOLDT, NEBR.

DEAR MR. PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS: I am signing this paper and praying you to do all in your power to help keep peace. Let the other countries fight their own battles. They have been doing it. Let them continue until something can bring them to their senses. Let us protect our own country, but don't send our boys over there to help them. We did not start it. We bless our President and Congress for what it has done. God help keep us in peace. The following are a list of names that want peace.

Yours truly,
SILAS BOYD and ADDA BOYD.Hon. Senator ARTHUR CAPPER,
Washington, D.C.

DEAR MR. CAPPER: I sent you a list of names last year on the vote of the people. Could do the same, but as I don't' drive the car it is hard for me to get around. But I could get all the names again that I sent you before. And please, dear Senator, do all you can. Also Senator REED, work for peace, as we mothers are heartbroken to think and worry is almost sickness to us. Our young boys, how we love them. Do we have to go through with it again? Have our Government keep out of foreign affairs. Our Government is spending us poor now. What else does he want? Is there no limit to him? We are depending so much on our Senators.

One of the worried mothers.
Mrs. MATT SLEDER, Niles, Kans.QUINTER, KANS., March 31, 1939.

DEAR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN: We are heartily in accord with you on this vital question of war. I don't think we have any business meddling over there. I do think we have enough to look after here at home. We are praying and hoping we don't have to send our sons over there. I think it is up to you Senators and Congressmen to settle all these things and are hoping you will.

Mr. and Mrs. HARRY LINES.Mr. ARTHUR CAPPER.

DEAR SIR: Am enclosing the petition that we cut from Capper's Weekly (which we have taken since I was a small girl) and I and all my people surely agree with you on the subject of war. I wish I could send you a petition with at least 10,000,000 names on it against war. I feel that we should keep our lip absolutely out of affairs in Europe or "across the pond" anywhere, and that one boy's life is worth more than all our possessions over there or all the money we might make from munitions, etc. We also feel our own country is in no condition for war. We will do very well if we do not have conflict between our own people in our own country in a very short time, and I think President Roosevelt is working everything for his and his family's interests in more ways than one, both politically and financially. Everything for his own selfish ends so that he may become more powerful. And if we do go to war, we must not say one word of criticism against Germany, as I feel that we should feed our 1,000,000 undernourished children instead of using our money for war. It will be another great waste. One would think we had had our fill of waste in our United States in the last 6 years.

Sincerely, your friends,
Mr. and Mrs. FRANK C. CARNEY