Evening star., 1940-06-21


answer to the clamor for prepared
ness is politics. Neither Mr.. Stimson
nor Mr.. Knox can build any air.
planes or aircraft carriers, or add
to the material strength of the
United States in anticipation of
emergencies to come. Neither man
can do anything as civilian lNaad of
the big departments because, in one
case, the chief of staff runs the
Army and, in the other, the chief of
naval operations runs the Navy.
What America needs is a plan for
industrial production and this is far
beyond the jurisdiction of the cab
met, no matter whether it is COM
posed of all Republicans or all Dem
ocrats. The power to accelerate pro-
duction is in the hands of the Pres
ident and the Congress and neither
is making the real moves that ought
to be made to safeguard Americas
position in world affairs.
Attempt at Political Unity.
To name Messrs. Stimson and
Knox is an attempt to get political
unity and to confound the Repub-
licans who are assembling in their
convention to write platform and
select a ticket. But it isn't political
unity that is needed. In fact, po-
litical oppositeness is needed in a
democracy. But what is absolutely
essential is removal of the internal
disunitv which reaches into labor
and industry and management, and
this can come only by allowing legis-
lation to pass which the administra-
tion is stif1ing-legislation that seeks
to give business and industry relief
from the abuses of governmental
power that have created such wide
spread distrust, diScord and dissen-
sion these last few years.
Political solutions will not give
America industrial preparedness. 1t
is the revision of administration
policies which stands out as the
paramount requirement of the times.
If the administration said the word,
such a revision could take place.
Amendment of the Wagner labor
relations law, the wage and hour
law, revision of the Securities and
Exchange Act and the passage OF
the Walter-Logan bill would give
confidence to the industry OF Amer
Tea that real start was being made
to remove the class warfare and
economic partisanship which has
sapped the vitality of the Nation
these last few years. The admin
istration is blocking every one Of
these measures.
Sees Usefulness Lost.
To get America ready for the wars
of tomorrow, industry must be CO.
ordinated with Government and this
seems impossible just by putting
Republicans in the cabinet. Any
Republican who takes cabinet
position loses any usefulness he
might have as critic and any ca
pacity for achievement in an indus
trial way that he might have if he
were to operate under an admin
istration which was inclined to re-
wise laws that namstring business.
When it comes to policies, none OF
the Presidents new advisers has
anything to say. They are so much
window dressing in a tragic scene
wherein a desperate effort now is
being made to impress public
opinion with the efficacy of our
preparations in Washington to deal
with whatever may arise.
The fact is, however, that little
progress will be made till the Presi-
dent appoints some big industrialist
to have complete power over the
whole production mechanism of the
country, and in order for that to be
persuasive with public opinion the
President will have to issue state
ment to the American pe0ple which
in effect delegates authority in un-
mistakable terms. And if such
co-ordinator in chief wants Congress
to pass law or amend one over
night, the President should be ready
to get behind the recommendation