Evening star., 1939-09-09

passed out OF Of1lclal lie, ana
Franklin Roosevelt alone remains to
Issue orders and commands to avoid
the pitfalls such as developed in
delicate period in American history,
in which he had a rlngslde seat,
actually participating in the inside
councils of the Government.
Mr.. Roosevelt was trusted ad-
wiser of the late President Wilson.
AS Assistant Secretary OF our Navy,
he spent a good deal of his time
In London in direct contact with the
British admiralty. There is story
Going the rounds that Mr.. Wilson
could not understand why the Brit
tsh Navy had not drawn nets or
built other barriers to prevent the
German submarines from coming
through the English Channel, and
that it fell to the lot OF Franklin
Roosevelt to contact the British
Navy, through whom the sugges-
ton was ultimately put into effect.
Quick Grasp of Naval Affairs.
Mr.. Roosevelt was young man
In the war days of 1914 to 1918, but
he was an alert person with a quick
grasp of military and naval affairs.
Those of us among the correspond
ents who used to visit the Navy De-
partment where he and the late
Louis Howe held fourth, found HIM
as much a part of the Navy as II
he we're a commissioned officer.
The Presidents love of naval
strategy led him to attend the naval
maneuvers in the Caribbean held
by the United States Navy early
this spring. He was on board
varship and followed every detail
of the war games with the same
intentness that any high naval
officer might display When he re-
turned, he talked enthusiastically
to his friends of the excellent con-
dition of the American Navy and
in particular of the changed char
acter of naval warfare, now that
the scouting plane has been intro
duced as an auxiliary to the fleet,
Mr.. Roosevelt became familiar
during the war with the hundred
and one problems of shipping and
submarine raiding. He knew also
what the naval intelligence units
were reporting about espionage
and counter espionage, and Of the
attempts to sabotage American
factories and shipyards. 1t took
him no time at all this last week
to get the various police agencies
of the Federal Government into
active operation.
The President knows the dlplo-
matte side Of the emergency, too,
and the limitless red tape that
sometimes stops official action
when it should go ahead without
hesitation. He knows how to cut
red tape and get things done, and
one evidence of his readiness to act
came in his issuance of the limited
emergency proclamation this week
which enabled the Army and Navy
defenses to be strengthened and
funds provided at once. Likewise,
he was careful to explain to the
press just what the technicalities
were that required such a step.
Better Qualified Than Wilson.
Mr. Roosevelt is far better quail
fed to take care of American inter-
ests, especially with the idea of keep
ing us out of war, than was Mr..
Wilson at the outbreak of hostilities
In Europe in 1914 Submarine war
fare was then new, airplanes were
new in combat, and the whole war
situation came SO suddenly as to
give the Washington Government
little time to prepare. Even the
evacuation of Americans from Eu-
rope is being arranged this time with
far less confusion than was inevi-
table in the abrupt turn of events in
August, 1914.
There is only one fly In the oint-
ment. Republicans suspect that Mr..
Roosevelt wants to be nominated
and elected for a third term, and
that the war situation may be used
to further that ambition. American
tradition is against a third term.
In 1915 national election was held
when America was still neutral. In
1864 a national election was held in
the midst of the War Between the
States. There will be a national
election in 1910 irrespective of
whether America is or is not in the
war, because it is an American desire
to hold to democracy, regardless OF
the pressure of war.
If Mr.. Roosevelt were to renounce
all ambition and make it clear once
and for all that he does not intend
to run for reelection, it would make
his record of these last few days and
the record of the days to come in the
troublous times ahead magnificent
one. For in war, Mr. Roosevelt is a
real leader, an experienced strate-
gist. and an excellent commander In
chief of the big Army and Navy that
must patrol our coasts and protect
our possessions.
(Reproduction RIGHTS Reseryed.)