Evening star., 1939-10-11
Clark Attacks
Roosevelt on
Neutrality
Hits Declaration of
Limited Emergency
At Outbreak of War
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

by J. A. OLEAHt.
President Roosevelts declaration
Of a limited national emergency
shortly after hostilities began in Eu-
rope was attacked. in the Senate
today by Senator Clark, Democrat,
of Missouri as proclamation with
out limit.
During a speech opposing repeal
of the arms embargo clause of the
Neutrality Act, Senator Clark
charged that under the limited ma
tional emergency proclamation the
President "can exercise all of the
powers of national emergency
which he can exercise without spe-
cific authority of Congress. The
only limitation is the limitation VOL
unfairly placed by the President
upon himself in his discussion with
newspapermen when he stated that
he only intended to use portion
of those powers at this time"
II cannot view without grave mis-
giving some of the things which
have already taken place of a war
like nature at time when we do
not even feve serious diplomatic
dispute with any country in the
world" the Missourian asserted in
leading up to discussion of the proc
lamation.
Criticizes Two Moves.
He criticized specifically two steps
already taken by the President, first
'nullifying the civil service laws
with regard to all matters conect-
ed with preparedness or neutrality "
and secondly, transfer Of the Pana.
ma Canal Zone from the Governor
of the. zone to the Army.
Senator Clark also directed
sharp attack at Assistant Secretary
of War Louis johnson, whom he
charged with seeking Ito inf1ame the
people as to the safety of our own
shores by comparing our situation to
that of Poland" He referred to a
speech Col johnson made yesterday
at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
Senator Clark cited the johnson
speech as an example of what he
called irresponsible statements and
actions of certain officials who, only
by reason of their position, carry a
certain weight of authority"
This is the same Louis Johnson"
Senator Clark continued, who has
been flying around the country in
an Army plane for the past several
years preaching the inevitability OF
war and the certainty of our being
drawn in. and drawing horriflc pic
lures with grisly prophecies of our
own shores being invaded and our
land being laid waste.
Set Up War Resources Board.
This is the same Louis johnson
who recently, without any apparent
authority of law. set up War Re.
sources Board. stacked its person.
mel with Morgan-Du Pont controlled
members. and publicly announced
that as soon as We entered into war,
under authority of an act which has
never been passed by Congress, the
/ War Resources Board would become
the War Resources Administration.
This is the same Louis johnson
who furnished an Office in the War
Department to Leo NJ Cherne to
write a book called Adjusting Your
Business to War and then wrote a
foreword in terms of fullsome adula-
! ton to that work. This book de-
scribes in detail the Fascist plans
contemplated by the War Depart
ment in the event of war, including
drafting of man power, regimenta-
ton of industry, restriction OF the
rights of labor, relaxation of the
laws with regard to women and
child labor, censorship and many
other subjects.
johnson Still in Office.
ITO be sure, the President stated
that the book had no administra-
ton approval. Louis Johnson IS
still in Office, and the authenticity
of the book as to the provisions OF
the Army mobilization plan has not
been questioned.
mo less reprehensible, in my opin-
ion, is the effort of the War De-
partment to make the Nation war
minded by preparations for the
draft. Already-when We have no
quarrel with any nation in the
world-with no authority of law
whatever. officials are going about
the country training draft boards
for the purpose of conscripting the
| youth of our land for military pur-
poses.
"Mr. President, say it is shame
full thing when, without the author
ity of Congress, plans are already
far under way for drafting boys l8
years old who have not even had
the poor privilege of voting for those
who pass the laws and determine
the policies which would send them
to the shambles. say it is shame
full thing because it can have no
other purpose than inflaming the
people and making them war
minded"
Earlier in his speech, Senator
Clark charged that a secret belief
that America should take sides In
(See NEUTRALITY, Page A-5.)