Dear probonopublico-ga,
Bryan,
I am pleased to hear that this research goes some way towards what you
were seeking.
I think that the concept of lend-lease was discussed as early as May
1940 although not using that phrase. However, I can find no direct
evidence of it being discussed by Roosevelt and Churchill. A form of
it was certainly proposed by Senator Claude Pepper.
The first lend lease bill was introduced by Senator Claude Pepper who
was serving on the Foreign Relations Committee and Subcommittee. The
closest date I can fix for this by research on the internet is 25 May
1940. Pepper had visited Europe and was aware of the danger Nazi
Germany presented to the world. He was a close advisor to Roosevelt
but I cannot find evidence that Roosevelt prompted him to propose the
legislation. The bill was voted down and Pepper was criticised and his
effergy was hanged.
As you know the bill was later amended and voted through. I cannot
find any evidence that Pepper met or knew Churchill.
This is from Pepper?s biography
"....visited Europe in 1938, they had the opportunity to see Hitler
and the Nazi war machine firsthand. On their return to Washington,
Pepper warned Roosevelt of the dangerous threat posed by the Nazis. He
immediately began introducing measures of preparedness, long before
American involvement. He sponsored legislation to increase the number
of aircraft in the armed services, and to grant full wartime powers to
the President before entry into war. In early 1939, Pepper began to
speak out in favor of "cash and carry" proposals where the U.S. could
remain officially neutral in world conflicts but could sell arms and
supplies to friendly nations. In May 1940, Pepper introduced a
Lend-Lease resolution to allow the President to provide equipment to
the Allied nations. The plan was so controversial that Pepper was
hanged in effigy by isolationists and ridiculed in the press. The
proposal failed twice in the Senate before Pepper was finally able to
get the legislation passed in 1941 after vigorous campaigning for
support."
http://www.claudepepper.org/foundation/about/cp-foreign.htm
Excerpt from Congressional Record of Pepper's speech as a U.S. Senator
in defense of his controversial Lend-Lease resolution. June 3, 1940.
You will note that in his introduction Pepper said, "....last week I
introduced to the Senate?(limiting aid short of war)."
http://pepper.cpb.fsu.edu/library/fdr/congrecord_1.htm
This gives some additional information on the Lend Lease act - Sub
heading Transparency Five: "Not the Way to Build a Two-Ocean Navy"
http://www.pepperfoundation.org/cowdrey.htm
Additional information on Pepper which shows he was a close friend of Roosevelt.
"He quickly became a leader of the New Dealers in Congress and a
friend and confidant of President Franklin Roosevelt. Against what
seemed to be overwhelming opposition from conservative isolationists
in 1940 and 1941, he was able to lead the fight to pass the Lend-Lease
Act which allowed the U.S. to support the Allied effort in World War
II."
http://www.claudepepper.org/foundation/about/cdp-bio.htm
Extract from a speech given by Pepper on June 7, 1940
"...The issue now essentially depends upon the American people. What will they do?
Will the Baldwins and the Chamberlains be heeded in the counsel of our
country, or will the Churchills -be heeded? Or worse, will the
Baldwins and Chamberlains create a situation which even a Herculean
Churchill or Roosevelt can scarcely undo? The challenge to every man,
woman, and child in America now is to action in support of our
President. Action, translated into effective ways, short of war, to
aid the Allies now to crush Hitler in Europe and keep war from
spreading to American shores."
http://pepper.cpb.fsu.edu/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fpepper.cpb.fsu.edu%2Fpolaris%2Fspeeches.htm&QB0=AND&QF0=LinkField&QI0=series203Bbox010fld006A&QB1=AND&QF1=DocNumber&QI1=003&MR=25&TN=203&RF=View+Full+Record&DL=0&RL=1&NP=4&AC=QBE_QUERY
Extract from a speech given by Pepper on June 9, 1940
"...I offered a resolution, which said in substance, that the
President, as our trusted leader and Commander-in-Chief of our Army
and Navy, should be authorized to sell, at a fair price, for cash, and
delivered in "this country, to the Allies, such war planes, parts and
equipment as could be spared without imperiling our own defense, with
the right in the President to replace such stocks from equipment of
the same character in the process of construction in the factories of
this country for the Allies and which could soon be delivered. The
Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate voted down this resolution
twelve to one. They said it would violate international law.."
http://pepper.cpb.fsu.edu/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?BU=http%3A%2F%2Fpepper.cpb.fsu.edu%2Fpolaris%2Fspeeches.htm&QB0=AND&QF0=LinkField&QI0=series203Bbox001fld013A&QB1=AND&QF1=DocNumber&QI1=001&MR=25&TN=203&RF=View+Full+Record&DL=0&RL=1&NP=4&AC=QBE_QUERY
If these links do not work you can access them via
http://pepper.cpb.fsu.edu/library/speech1.htm
Full biography of Pepper with relevant dates in his career
http://www.pepperfoundation.org/studyguide.htm
Finally, this is an extract from the first paragraph of an article in
the New York Times which supports the date of 25 May 1940.
Unfortunately it is a pay per view article.
"WASHINGTON, May 25--Senator Claude Pepper of Florida appealed tonight
to the public in a radio address to support his resolution authorizing
the President to sell the ..."
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nytimes/121022021.html?did=121022021&FMT=ABS&FMTS=AI&desc=Pepper+Warns+of+%22Chamberlains%22
I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder
"Senator Pepper" lend lease
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22Senator+Pepper%22+lend+lease
Pepper churchill "lend lease"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Pepper+churchill+%22lend+lease%22&btnG=Google+Search
"claude Pepper" "lend lease"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22claude+Pepper%22+%22lend+lease%22&btnG=Search |
