Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-10-02
FDR Powers
Are Almost:


In view OF the Senate'G unani-
NOUS call for an official summary
OF the emergency powers Of the
Presidency, the National Committee
to Uphold Constitutional Govern
ment considers it appropriate to
give to members of the Congress
these observations and conclusions
The committee has been for some
time searching the statutes covering
the emergency powers.
Its research, completed Septem-
Der %, disclosed uprepealed execu-
i've powers shOckingly inconsistent
with peace-time needs in a democ-
.'acy.
We commend the Senate :or
initiating what we hope will be
an immediate and thorough eek
both houses Of Congress to hasten
action toward repeating all grants
OF power which might be used by
the Executive to get the nation into
war without consent of the peoples
representatives.
The President, acting within one
Of these unrepealed grants, has de-
clared that an emergency exists He
describes it as a "limited" emer-
gency However, there is no statu-
tory authority for 'limited" emer-
gency. Any emergency proclaimed
by the President is legally a COM
plete emergency.
1t shocked us, as it will shock
the American people, to discover
that, by declaring that an emergen-
cy exists, the President now can
take advantage Of a clause in the
FEDERAL Communications Act of
June, 1884. Under that Act, in a
state Of emergency, the President
has absolute, unlimited power to
stop free speech over the radio at
home. He can take over the entire
radio broadcasting of the nation He
can suppress public discussion by
radio Of views contrary to his own.
He can seize any or all broadcasting
stations and turn them over to any
department of the Government, for
example to Secretary Ickes, to be
run as instruments of administra-
ton propaganda.
Hitler has the same power, and
no more, over radio in German and
he used it to gain dictators
throne Stain has the same con-
troll in Russia, Mussolini in Italy
Control of radio has been a step
ping-stone to dictatorship in Eu-
rope; it is too dangerous to be per-
mitted in America, and especially
SO when decisions vital to the ma
ton must be made, as now.
Besides Selling and operating or
suppressing any or all radio sta
tons, the President, under the
most important of his present emer-
gency powers, can do any Of the
following:
Close all banks in the nation.
Close every stock exchange, and
forbid for 80 days at time the
sale of all stocks and bonds.
Prohibit the export of coal or
other war materials.
Restrictive travel between the
United States and foreign countries
Suspend the 8-hOur law on fed
cIal contracts.
Within certain limits, further re-
value the dollar.
Reduce the weight of the STAN
dard silver dollar.
Comandeer all silver now in the
hands of the people, as gold was
Communicated IN 1884.
Regulate the rates of exchange
of all foreign currencies and the
amount Of such currencies that
American citizens may acquire.
The President has already stated
that he may prevent shipment of
certain war materials such as man.
ganese, crude rubber and tin. This
comes under the power to prohibit
export of coal and other war ma
terials. The authority is in an I'M
repealed Joint Resolution of April
%, 1898. The President has not
asked to have this power taken
away from him, although he asks
Congress to surrender to him its
power to embargo shipments of war
materials.
1t is debatable but not con-
stitutional issue whether return to
International law would lessen or
increase the chances of drawing the
United States into the war; we are
not discussing it here. But we are
positive in our conviction that the
surest safeguard for American peace
is in a Congress responsive to the
will of the people. No matter who
the President may be, he should
not have the unlimited powers
which these unrepealed statutes
leave in his hands.
AS a group Of citizens pledged to
uphold constitutional government,
our present concern is with keep
ing our country out of war. For we
know that war must be prosecuted
with dictatorial power, and the tide
toward dictatorship is running so
strong throughout the world that
we fear to surrender our liberties
even for a period of emergency, the
end of which no one can foresee.
Therefore we repeat our urgent
request for reconsideration and
prompt repeal of all executive pow
ers not essential to national de-
tense. The fact that any one man
possesses absolute dictatorial pow
er over radio in America has, in
our Judgment, created national
emergency more immediate and far
more dangerous than any other
emergency the nation now faces.
UCC HEADS ON JUNKET
Raleigh, Oct. 2.-Chairman Charles