Evening star., 1940-12-18

from various sources, is that prom
inent members of the administra-
ton deliberately withheld the facts
during the recent presidential cam
paign and that the Republican
leaders in Congress fell down badly
in failing to force the facts into
the open through the power Of the
congressional inquiry.
The status of national defense
might have been more of an issue
In the last campaign. But it is
learned that Wendell Willkie and
his aides tried desperately to get
the facts out of Washington only
to be given the cold shoulder by
William S. Knudsen and other
members of the Defense Commits
sion. These men hesitated to give
out the facts for fear of being mis-
understood. But this in itself does
not explain the real difficulty The
accusation is made that members
Of the Defense Commission went
travelling around the country CIV
Ing interviews and issuing state
ments designed to give the impress
sion that America was making great
progress and that all was well.
Opposition Needs Organization.
Now, from authoritative sources
comes the opposite sort of state
ment and 1t has served to arouse
those who tried during the CAM
paign to get at the truth, but were
rebuffed. With the political and
partisan atmosphere that has sur
rounded the whole defense effort
for many months through the med
ium of publicity agents chosen by
the New Deal to camouflage the
situation or to give it a rosy appear
ance, 1t is not at all surprising
that the Willkie campaigners made
no headWay in their effort to bring
out the facts. To anybody sea-
soned in political ways it is not a
surprise when members of the
Government, even though not them
selves partisan or political minded,
hesitate to do anything which
might damage the political prestige
Of the head of the administration in
power.
But this does not in any way ex-
cuse the Republicans in Congress
They were so busy with their own
little local controversies and con-
tests that they didn't see the ma
tional picture. The question is
whether the Republicans even now
will see their true responsibility as
a party in Congress and begin tc
organize the opposition which they
have failed to organize these last
eight years.
Here and there are a handful oi
aggressive Republicans, men like
Representatives Hoffman and Wood
ruff of Michigan or Taber of New
York or Short of Missouri or Rep.
resentative Leland Ford of Cali.
fornia and others who make
speeches on specific issues, but there
has not been a single congressional
investigation by the House in the
last two years which could be classi.
fled as Republican in origin. The
two most effective inquiries have
been led by Democrats-Representa.
tives Dies of Texas and Howard
Smith Of Virginia-though it is fail
to say their inquiries would never
have been authorized by a majority
except for the votes of the indie.
pendent Democrats, plus the solic
Republican bloc.
Byrd Critical.
The same thing holds in the Sen.
ate. No Republican leadership there
has resulted in any congressional in.
quiry on defense. Yet every week
the record shows, statements were
issued from Government source.
which gave an impression quite diff
ferent from that which now is be.
ing admitted from official quarters
Senator Byrd, Democrat, has car.
ried the ball alone in criticizing mis-.
leading data on defense.
If the Knudsen speech of las
week, telling Of 30 per cent failur,
to attain even the modest estimate
Of airplane production-10 pc
month-Were to have been delivered
by the head of the defense pro
gram in England, it would have LEI
to the immediate downfall of tn
ministry in power.
The Republicans in Congress ar
talking hopefully of 1912, but the,
will lose that election and the one il
1914 if they do not support tn
militant elements of their party VIII
struggled in vain during the las
campaign and were given no he'll
In the way of congressional inquire
on which to build their opposition
Opportunities Lost.
Within the last "a hours ther
has been some comment by promi
nent Republican Senators abou
laying aside presidential politics ant
giving all attention to the 1912 con
gressional race. But the trouble i
the Republican leaders in botl
Houses of Congress are not reals
tically aware of the many opportun
ities that they have lost alread
to serve as a loyal opposition.
The defense program is now bog
ging down. Would it have reached
such a status or would it have lon
ago been stirred to efficiency if ther
had been prodding by the oppo
sition party? That's the question
which is brought to the front b.
the Knudsen speech. The responsi
bility for the failure of Americ;
to get airplanes, in the estimate'
production by next month is a
much the failure, therefore, of tn
Republicans in Congress as it is o
the politicians n the Democrati
administration.