Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-06
EDITORIAL PAGE
Wheeler Fight

r>ENATOR BURTON X WHEELER of Montana has
- carried the burden of the fight in the United
States Senate against the lendlease BILL and has done
vigorously and effectively.
Since Senator Wheeler is a of great energy
and greater courage he has not tempered the tempest
of his attack TO the feelings of his opponents with the
result that they consider him most violent and suggest
that he may be suspected of overstatng his case.
However, Senator Wheeler is statesman OF long
experience and political ANALYST of recognized ability
and remarkably few of his assertions and conclusions
even in the admitted heat of crucial debate ever prove
TO be conspcuousy vulnerable.
This is particularly and demonstrably true of the
impressive and convincing case he has made against
the end-lease BILL
A AN illustration let us consider his declaration
n that this measure is not exclusively
essentially an laid to Britain" BILL act which
WAR FOR AMERICA
That is certainly disturbing and of dis
puted analysis.
But how can calm appraisal lead to any other con-
clusion?
The bill empowers the President to initiate and
perform acts of actual against foreign nations so
is not true as Senator Wheeler says that it makes
tragic joke" of the constitutional and supposedly sole
power of Congress to declare war;
The bill also empowers the President to send Ameri-
can merchant vessels and into belgeren waters
in defiance of the existing neutrality law.
The bill further empowers, or at least permits and
certainly does not prohibit the President to employ
American naval vessels for conveying BOTH Ameri-
and belligerent merchant ships
THE bill confers all its vast powers solely on the
President, establishes other agencies to share
restrain MS power, ana reserves no dulhoiity "
Congress to do
All these points Senator Wheeler makes against
the lend-ease bill, not violently but calmly and OBJ
jectively.
They are not vague speculative points.
They not even DISPUTED points, but are
acknowledged and defended by the sponsors OF the
legislation. =
WHERE is the violence in stating the plain truth
w and simple fact about the purpose and effect OF
legislation related the vital welfare and peace OF the
United States?
Where is the overstatement in factual analysis
that is not challenged?
Of course the opponents of Senator Wheeler say,
and perhaps believe, that the extreme and un-
precedented powers created by this measure Will not
be welded the full degree and limit inherent In tnem
But what is violent and overemphatc about de.
fning and explaining such extraordinary powers and
opposing them?
Have not the American people always feared and
opposed excessive executive powers?
Have not most eminent American statesmen,
since the beginning of national history, opposed
and warned against an of power in executive
hands?
oENATOR WHEELER has told the American people
= the plain and simple truth about the end-lease DILL
He has done so ably commercially and admirably
Are not the American people entitled to have and
glad to have the TRUTH in any matter concerning
them vitality? 49,
Senator Wheeler may not prevail on this issue
But he has fulfilled profound concept OF his patrouc
American duty and has indicated fundamental and
= historic American for the nation to follow