The daily monitor. (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1940-1942, 1941-09-18
LET CONGRESS SPEAK

S6u SVS~SN6SS Tenn
This newspaper hos repeatedly
urged that American foreign policy
should have the manifest and united
support of people, President and Con-
gress. We believe there is opportunity
today for possoge Of q congressional
resolution which would make clear that
giving full naval protection to Ameri-
con merchant ships is the will Of the
legislative as we'll as the executive
branch of the Government.
Necessarily ond constiutionoIIy
the President has the doy-to-doy man.
oeement Of policy. But the policy the
United Stotes is now following in re-
lotion to the war is not President
RooseveIt's policy; it is in essentials
q course Of defense action dictated by
Americas situation, by her ideals and
interests. 1t isn't q Democratic Porty
policy; millions of Republicans sup
port it.
The "shoot-ot-sieht" order is in line
not only with Americas historical de-
Tense of freedom of the secs; it is in
line with every development since this
war storted. 1t was implicitly approved
when Congress, by loree mojorities,
odopted the lend-Leose Act. For by
that Act supplies we're to be furnished
nations which resist Hitlerism-not for
their defense, but as port Of Americas
defense. The United Stotes intended
to see that those suppis reached the
front-Iine defenders Unless Ameri-
cans are willing to retreot from that
whole position they will support the
measures Necessary to protect delivery
Of the supplies.
Judging by comment Of the Nations
press and Of the man in the street one
must conclude thot there is very WIDE
spread support for the Presidents
order. 1t would be highly helpful if
this implicit support could be made
explicit and Official. For isoIotionists,
not prepared to demand abandonment
Of the policy, ore claiming thot it is
merely the Presidents policy and that
he alone is putting America into war;
On this question there should be no
toint Of suspicion that the President is
detouring Congress. Both for the effec-
tive carrying out Of defense action and
for the winning Of the peace, manifest
and united support is imperative. The
America First Committee is saying
that it will throw its full weight on
the side Of the people and their Con-
9ress, in order to restore representative
eovernmnt in the Unitd Stotes."
Fine. Let US see on whose side the
people and their Congress really stand.
Let US settle that point.
It should be possible to frame reso-
luton on which Congress could vote
without infringing the Presidents con-
stitutionol preroeotves in the conduct
Of foreign poliey-one that would give
the isoIotionists q chance to have the
issue Of defending the freedom of the
secs thoroughly throshed out. What
ever harm such q debote might do
would be less than the sniping at policy
now by men who claim they represent
"85 per cent Of the people"
n the isoIotionists do not wish to test
representative government on the
issue, it might we'll be the port Of
craftsmanship for Administration
forces to offer resolution which would
enobIe Congress to make plain the
unity OF the Legislature and the Ex-
ecutive on fundamentals Of notionoI
defense. A move to repeal the Men,
troIity Act would provide one means
for such Q demonstration Of unity. And
IL would have concrete advantages in
itself.
We earnestly hope that some way
will be found to let Congress speok-
From the Christion Sci&ses Monitor.