Evening star., 1940-12-24

olreCUOr, asking ~ M
for the facts. 1t
is pointed out by David Lawrence.
the Michigan Senator that he asked
for the same information last Sep
tember.
The administration has not been
willing to let the Senators know
what is going on. The excuse given
is that the information must be kept
confidential. But the rate of pro-
duction is an easy matter for any
foreign government to check, and
In all probability there is more accu-
rate information available today in
Berlin and Rome about Americas
airplane production than is avail
able in the United States.
For many weeks there has been
criticism of British censorship on
the ground that facts are suppressed
that could be given out. The policy
In Washington has been to apply
tight censorship at official sources
so that whatever information is
given to members of Congress is
marked confidential" In this way
the American people have been kept
in the dark concerning real prob
-Slenns of airplane production and
schedules.
Reason for Lag Withheld.
Mr.. Knudsen has said that the
schedule intended to be attained in
January will be 80 per cent behind.
Except for this general statement,
nothing is known as to the reasons
for the breakdown. 1t is under
standable but not necessarily de-
fensible why information of this
kind was withheld prior to election
day, November 5, but it is not clear
why the administration has not
allowed the facts concerning air
plane production to be made known
since then.
Congress, of course, has the au-
thority to inquire what is happen
ing to the billions of dollars it has
authorized for the defense program
and it is more than likely that when
the Naval and Military Affairs Com
nittees of both houses get into
action next month they will ask
Army and Navy officers in charge
of important bureaus to testify.
There is talk of special defense
committee of Congress to make a
general inquiry as to the progress
of the defense program.
- Meanwhile, President Roosevelt
has announced his intention OF
making a fireside chat next Sunday
night This is most surprising, be-
cause, with the annual message to
Congress coming so soon thereafter,
It is not clear just why Mr.. Roose-
welt would wish to anticipate his
own message, unless he desires to
subordinate the latter altogether
and deal with the progress of the
defense program in radio speech
which permits of greater informal
ity than a formal message.
Reply to Critics Expected.
The general impression is that
Mr.. Roosevelt is anxious to explain
what has been done on the defense
which has been leveled at it. There
is also the possibility that the occa-
sion may be used further to explain
the American attitude of nom
involvement, on the one hand, and
the loan or lease" policy on the
other. Certainly If forthcoming op-
position In Congress on this point is
to be diminished, the President is
wise in starting out with flreslde
chat which might mobilize public
opinion on his side and thus enable
the members of Congress to hear
about it from the folks at home
~vhile visiting their own districts
and States.
Unquestionably, the President is
concerned by the growth of stay
out-of-war organizations, some of
which he feels are not concerned
with the main point, which is how
to keep the war from coming over
to America. Mr.. Roosevelt feels
that all material and financial aid
rendered the British now would tend
TO make unnecessary American par
ticipation, and that British victory
over the Nazis is one sure way to
prevent American involvement in
war.
This point of view, shared by
many, is nevertheless controverted
by those groups and organizations
who fear that extension of aid to
Britain will in itself provoke Amer
lean involvement if Germany or
japan chooses to construe such &C
ton as an attack on their interests.
Likely to Make Unity Plea.
Mr.. Roosevelts fireside chat-the
first since he was elected for third
tern1-is expected, of course, to be
,an exhortation for national unity
and for public confidence. A review
of what has happened since total
war began can be looked for. Bill
- lions of dollars of authorizations
have been voted, many hundreds OF
big contracts have been let, and the
American capacity to produce air
planes has been increased. But still
Americas production is far behind
its own schedule and far behind
what Germany is doing today.
It is to urge the industrial units
Of the country to greater efforts
and to explain the need for sacrifices
on every side by both employers and
employees that the President will
appeal in his forthcoming address
to the Nation and to the world.