The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-06-06
(By STAFF WRTTER)

WASHINGTON. - Congress-
awakened to the need Of streng-
thening our national detenses'
came almost unanimously to the
support of the Presidents pro-
posal to begin at once pro-
gram of airplane building ana
manufacture of ornaments on
an unprecedented scale. Where
the money is to come from is
vet to be determined, but 1t IS
certain that some increase IN
taxes will be necessary.
Republicans in both houses.
Joined with Democrats in voting
new defense appropriations.
extent. But it is far from beng
buried so far as the methods OF
spending the new funds are con-
cerned. What is being sought is
a plan for creating some sort
of a defense planning board
which would have full charge
of the production of munitions
and would be entirely free from
political control. At the same
time Congress is trying to work
out some system which would
put all military aviation under
unified control, reorganize the
Army and Navy by getting rid
of inefficient officers who have
risen to their present posts by
the antiquated seniority system,
and in general pep up the whole
military establishment.
The feeling in Congress is that
there should br greater and
more direct responsibility to
Congress and less to the Execu-
tive in all of the contemplated
preparations for war. While the
President is, under the Consti-
tuition, Commander-in-Chief OF
the Army and Navy, there are
many Senators and Representa-
tives of both parties who point
out that the United States is not
vet at war, that it is the ear
nest hope of everybody that we
shall not be at war, and that in
any event the size and character
of the fighting forces which the
President is the Chief must be
whatever Congress chooses to
provide.
Sharp Issue
A sharp issue is shaping up
between those who believe that
preparations for national de-
tense ought to be made with the
cooperation of the ablest men in
the nation, regardless of party,
and those who hold that these
able individualists, organizers
and counselors should subordi-
nate themselves to the Presi-
dent. That has been done in
time of war. In time of peace
it has never been done.
The advisory board which the
President appointed last Fall to
examine the state of the nations
preparedness for war, which in
Guided prominent men Of both
parties, lasted only a few weeks,
solely because its members found
that they could not function
against the opposition Of the
Presidents close political advis-
ers, or as subordinates subject
to the Executives orders.
Well-meaning patriots who
have proposed that the Presi-
dent put eminent Republicans
in his Cabinet in this emergen-
cy have cited the changes in the
British and French Governments
since the present European war
began. They overlook the fact
that those are Parliamentary
governments, in which the con-
stituent assembly has supreme
power and the governing body
or Cabinet is chosen from
among the members of Parlia-
ment. Thus two or half a dozen
parties may be represented in
a coalition cabinet.
But under the American sys-
tenn the Executive is entirely
distinct from Congress, and the
members of his Cabinet are his
personal appointees, whom he car
dismiss at will. They must be
completely subordinate to the
President.
Emphatically Rejected
Therefore the Presidents idea
of putting a few leading Republi.
cans in his Cabinet to emphasize
the non-partisan spirit of the
times has been emphatically re-
jected. Rumor has it that he Of
fered Col. Frank Knox, Repub
lican Vice-President candidate O.
four years ago, the post of Secre
tary of the Navy, just vacated by
Charles Edison, who is running