The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-07-11
Economic x. +. /.


IIeSluSlI NOOSeNelt dClloH III aP-
pointing Republicans Stimson and
Knox to the vital War and Navy cab
met posts was the meatiest piece of
domestic news in long time. 1t threw
a bombshell into the Republican party,
which was gathering in Philadelphia
at the time on the eve of it's nomin-
ating convention. There was a rumor
some time ago that the President had
decided on a coalition cabinet-but it
was generally believed that the idea
had been dropped, one theory being
that big-shot Republicans had refused
to agree to it.
From the political point of view,
the appointments were a clever bit of
Mr.. Stimson was Secretary
of War under Taft and Secretary of
State under Hoover, and has behind
him record of public service. Colonel
Knox has never held important public
office, but he was the COP vice-presi-
Dental candidate last time, and is an
able and fortnight newspaper pub
Usher. 1t is a known fact that some
COP insiders have felt that important
political capital could be made out of
criticizing the administration of the
War and Navy departments-the Navy
secretaryship has been vacant some
time, and the experts never regarded
War Secretary Woodring as an asset
to the cabinet. Now, with Knox and
Stimson in key posts, it will be ex-
ceedingly difficult for the COP to
make such criticism telling. The
Roosevelt cabinet still has some bad
weak spots, in the view of most au-
thorities, but it has been greatly
strengthened.
Looking at the appointments from
the point of view of foreign policy,
they square with the Presidents re-
cent position. 1t is obvious that Mr..
Roosevelt has been moving from a
policy of neutrality to one of non-bel-
ligerency. In other words, our posi-
ton in regard to the Allies is much
the same as was Italy's in regard to
Germany before she took the plunge
into war. Mr.. Stimson has been eX-
tremely outspoken in favor of the AL
lied cause, and some think him an ac-
tual interventionist. Colonel Knox
holds similar views. 1t will be remem-
bered that it was Mr.. Stimson, when
he was in the Hoover cabinet, who took
a strong anti-Japanese line when Far
Eastern troubles were developing.
These appointments have already
stirred up some dissension within the
Democratic party, to say nothing OF
the Republican. The opposition comes
from those, such as Senator Wheeler,
who feel that the President wishes to
guide US step by step into war. That
will undoubtedly form the basis for
Republican campaign attacks on this
Administration, ;assd the COP will have
plenty of evidence to draw on. All ia
vor the defense program, in general
but there is a definite cleavage be-
tween those who insist that it must
be for defense alone, and those who
must go to war in Europe.
The military experts now say it will
take IL to Is months to equip and
mechanic an army of 100000 men,
even if the arms program swings into
i high gear at once. And the arms pro-
gram is not doing that. There is a
shortage of skilled labor, and also OF
apprentices in certain extremely i'm.
portant crafts. This is creating bot
tleneck which is worrying those ir
charge of the program.
A sweeping bill for compulsory
military service has been introduced
by Senator Burke. Under it, all mer
between Is and 65 would be forced tc
register, and could be called by the
President for any and all defense pur'
poses, whether we were at war or not
There is plenty Of political dynamite
in this and Congress will do lot OF
talking and thinking before approving
any draft measure. At the same time
sentiment in favor Of compulsory ser
vice of some kind has grown, judging
by the polls. Newspapers and period
Gals ranging from far right to far left
have endorsed it, on the grounds tina
it is extremely distasteful but unavoid
able. And so the seed for another red
hot political issue is being sown.
X X x
AS was widely expected, the Frencl
government agreed to Hitler's harsl
peace terms, but a considerable seq
ment of French opinions has disavow
ed the governments action. Frencl
troops in the colonies will fight on
but the capitulation of the mothe
country, and the surrender of Frencl
industrial areas to the Reich, has ter
ribly weakened Allied strength. Yet al
the military authorities have not givel
up the British cause as lost. Takin!
the British Isles is obviously far NOR
: difficult than taking France. Th
\ British fleet still rules the waves-an
: England has close to 100000 men un
der arms.
1t came as something of a relief t.
observers here to find that, under tn
terms of the German-French armis
!tice, the French fleet is not to be use
= against England, but is to be inferno