Evening star., 1940-05-22

while a commit. David Lawrence.
tee of Congress was considering an
all-important national defense bill,
the President found 1t desirable to
send word that he didn't want the
social reforms" of the New Deal
weakened.
The country may fail to gear
itself up to high production levels,
the Army and Navy may need three
shifts or may need to relax various
laws intended for peacetime pur-
poses, but the President feels that
the preservation of political objec-
tives is so vital that he Is willing
to interpose his executive influence
30 as to prevent a congressional
committee from legislating as 1t
feels it should In the national inter-
est.
Weakened Allies.
This is the type of thing which
has weakened England and France
and brought the allies to the brink
Of disaster. Considerations OF pol
itics weigh more heavily in democ-
racies than anything else until 1t
Is too late to apply remedy.
1t might seem as If the President
could change this overnight. Maybe
he could. But facing him are pres
sure groups that might prevent his
reelection, and at this time, no
doubt, the Executive feels his re-
election is more important than to
permit a cleavage in the ranks of
those who support the New Deal.
AS a matter of fact the President
would not lose the support of labor
If he found it necessary to relax the
rigid provisions which have slowed
down Americas production machine
these last few years. Labor's rank
and file unquestionably would rally
to the support of the administration
II It placed war necessities ahead
Of political necessities.
It is the labor politicians and not
the rank and file who are asserting
their power today to prevent the
American industrial machine from
swinging into high speed. 1t is from
the men who hold -salaried
oflces and key positions In a labor
movement which they control al
most as a monopoly that the opposi-
ton is coming already to Americas
national defense plans as they are
related to production schedules and
hours Of work.
Depends on Speed Of Events.
The administration, Of course,
knows better than anybody inside
or outside of Washington that It is
necessary to relax the provisions of
various laws that now interfere with
production. But the administration
is betting on the possibility of doing
this by regulation or by new legisla-
ton after, rather than before, the
election. If the war crisis does not
touch Americas vital interests for
another year or so, the country may
not suffer any harm from dilly-
dallying with the defense program,
but If events move as swiftly in the
next few months as they have in the
last few days, then some day the
American people will discover to
their sorrow that politics. which
has eaten into the physical structure
Of democracies abroad, has brought
about on this side of the Atlantic the
same procrastination and temporiz-
ing with group selfishness as has
been witnessed in France and Eng
land.
Despite the fact that the Amer
lean people are ready to follow a
national leader irrespective of party
and with loyalty that puts aside
every political consideration, no
such objective and disinterested
leadership has been asserted here
Az consequence, Congress, though
on the surface ready to cooperate
and pass needed legislation, is in
wardly apprehensive, and industry
ready also to cooperate to the
limit, Is disheartened and disillu-
stoned.
Within Grasp.
The saying abroad Is that the
British never prepared for any war
the French are still fighting the
last war and the Nazis are winning
this war. So might it be said OF
oficial Washington that the ad-
ninistration is still fighting ito pre-
serve the New Dear' and has its eyes
on getting political power for four
more years. The problems Of the
hour are not insurmountable. The