Evening star., 1941-03-01

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Underseeretoy Addresses
Annual Bouquet Of Federal
Bor Association
This Nations current national de-
Tense efforts require lodsment of
substantially the same" discretion
airy powers in the President as were
vested In the Chief Executive during
the World War, Undersecretary of
War Robert p. Patterson declared
last night In an address at the an
nual banquet of the Federal Bar
Association at the Mayfiower Hotel.
More than 900 Government attor-
neys and honor guests, including
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, heard
Mr.. Patterson urge immediate pas
sage of the lease-lend bill as major
step In keeping war from the West
ern Hemisphere and in preparing
for it if it should come.
He described the legislation as
'only the start of effective aid to
England" merely the "enunciation
OF our policy"
TO carry this policy into effect"
Mr.. Patterson emphasized, I'VE must
throw our entire industrial machine
into the production of war ma
| terials.''
Cites Borrowing Time"
Mr.. Patterson pointed out that by
aiding England this country is "bor-
rowing time to prepare" and denied
this aid is "denuding our defenses."
1T was British and French money
that initially created the expansion
in essential aviation plants" he said.
I'VE now benefit from British and
French orders as experimental or
ders. We have received most valu-
able information on anti-aircraft
defense, on aircraft design and on
many other OF the multitudinous
materials of modern war.
Through the cooperation of the
British this war has become a vast
research laboratory for us, the re-
suits of which have been furnished
to us, to the great enhancement of
the efficiency of the weapons of war
which we are now forced to manu-
facture."
y AS for powers enactment of the
legislation would vest in the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Patterson said:
During the last war we found 1t
necessary to confer upon the Presi-
dent very broad discretionary pow
ers in those fields connected with
the prosecution of the war.
Many of the opponents of the lease
lend bill admit that the exercise
of broad executive authority would
be appropriate if war should come.
fail to understand why they should
| think 1t inappropriate for the pur-
pose of either keeping war from
coming or preparing for it if it
| does"
Sees Opposition as Small.
Mr.. Patterson stated that effective
aid to Great, Britain has had the
support of all except a small group
of extreme isolationists. who seem
determined that we should fight
alone, without allies, and should
| fight here"
Mr.. Patterson said he considered
the principal role of lawyers in ma
tional defense to be the exercise of
constructive leadership in the
molding of public opinion"
England and France slept too
long in the face of the Nazi peril" i"
he commented. I'VE must not make
the same mistake and through the
action of intelligent. critical men
and women like those assembled
here We shall not make the same
mistake.
Our people have acted quickly:
We are. I hope, fully awake to the
situation which confronts u.s."
Mrs. Roosevelt greeted the dinner
guests on behalf of the President
and drew laughter and applause
with a comment on Mr.. Roosevelt
and his relation to the legal pro-
fession.
We tease him (the President) a
great deal in the family" she said.
His practice of law was limited to
very short time, but he always
feels he knows all about it,"
Their son, Franklin D. Roosevelt,
jr., who studied law at the Uni
versity of Virginia, hopes he can
take his bar exam before he goes
into the Navy" Mrs. Roosevelt
added. Young Roosevelt is in the
Naval Reserve and soon will be
called to active duty.
Biddle Speaks.
Solicitor General Francis Biddle,
in a discussion of Government and
the Public" told the audience that
"our opportunity as servants of the
public is to cultivate their favor and
their friendliness by creating ."
an atmosphere of efficiency and
pohteness."
I'VE must learn to think of the
public whom we serve as individ-
uals." he said, hoping that only
in return they will recognize us not
as a distant and disagreeable police
man, not as q symbol of irritation,
but as a group Of human beings
possessing the same shortcomings
and the same virtues as them
selves"
The speakers were introduced by
1t. Col. Heber H, Rice, president
OF the association. Robert Nelson
Anderson was general chairman of
arrangements for the banquet.
Among the honor guests were As
sociate Justice Reed of the United
States Supreme Court, Senators
Glass of Virginia, Bulow Of South
Dakota and Kilgore of West Vir-
ginia, Representative Ramspeck of
Georgia, Chief Justice D. Lawrence
Groner of the United states Court
of Appeals for the District of Co
| lumbia, Maj. Gen. Allen w. Gullion.