Evening star., 1938-12-13
The Political Mill
RooseveIt's Armament Program Will Be
Available to Public EorIy in January

administration is expected in some
quarters also to deal particularly
with the essential industries and
the part they will be expected to
play In case the United States be-
comes involved in war. At one time
1t was suggested that the defense
program might also become a re-
covery program; that the money ex-
pended for defense could we'll be
expended also for relief Of idle
workers and for the pump prim-
ing" of industry.
Resistance Is Seen.
II an effort is made to develop
another large pump printing" pro-
gram Of Government expenditure in
the name of national defense there
are indications the program will
meet with serious resistance on Cap
itol Hill. In the first place, there
will be an economy drive of con-
siderable proportions on the part
OF many influential members of
both the House and Senate. They
do not relish more, bigger deficits.
Senator Byrnes of South Carolina
already has announced his position
both with regard to the size of ap-
preparations to be made by the
coming Congress and to appropria-
tions for relief. An influential DEM
ocratic member of the Senate Ap-
preparations Committee, he will have
strong backing for his demands for
retrenchment. The two Virginia
Senators, Chairman Carter Glass
of the Appropriations Committee
and Senator Harry Flood Byrd, will
be found aligned with Byrnes, and
so will Senator Bennett Champ
Clark of Missouri.
Senator Clark is inclined to look
askance at a big national defense
program for other reasons than
mere economy He does not believe
that the United States is threatened
with war from either the Pacific
or the Atlantic Ocean. When and
If a big preparedness program is
put forward by the administration
Senator Clark will ask a number
OF pointed questions. He will wish
to know just what threats of at
tack have caused the administration
to seek to increase the Nations
ornaments.
Others From Missouri"
There will be plenty of other Sen
ators who will be also from Mis-
sourl"-who will want to be shown
just why it Is necessary to spend
large sums for greater defense. Pre-
sumably the administration will be
prepared to give its reasons. Sena-
tors and Representative will ask
also whether the administration is
seeking greater discretion for the
President in the operation of the
Neutrality Act"
Nothing is calculated to raise
greater uproar on Capitol Hill than
a proposal to permit the President
or any President of the United
States-to put his finger on any ma
tlon at war with another and say:
'Lo and behold, this is the aggres-
sor." And, as an aggressor, to dis
criminate against that nation in the
matter Of embargoes of supplies
shipped from this country. Sena-
tor Borah of Idaho not long ago
expressed vigorous opposition to the
centralizing of such powers in the
hands of the President-powers
which would, if exercised, drag this
country almost certainly into war.
Senator Borah went to the extent
of saying that he would campaign
for the Ludlow amendment to the
Constitution providing for a refer
endum to the people before war
could be declared by the United
States-barring actual invasion of
this country by a foreign enemy.
Senator Clark of Missouri also has