Evening star., 1941-07-01

in the situation illustrates method
of approach which has proved effec-
tive. Without letting any one know
about it, he is reported today to
have sought out the officials of the
War Department who drafted the
measure and after prolonged con-
ference with them succeeded in per-
suading them to change the terms
Of the bill.
News of the conference leaked out
today on Capitol Hill, where the bill
Is before a committee of the House
of Representatives 1t appears that
Undersecretary of War Robert P,
Patterson was the author of the pro-
posal. Though attributed errone-
ously in press reports to some Wall
Street lawyers, it is known now that
Mr.. Patterson acknowledged author
ship of the bill. He was formerly a
Judge on the United States Circuit
Court of Appeals, having been ap-
pointed to the bench by President
Roosevelt.
1t is understood that Mr.. Patter-
son did not intend that the power
under the proposed law should be
used Unfortunately to seize pri-
vate property, but that it should be
invoked only to obtain certain ma
terials and military facilities. Mr..
Willkie is said to have pointed out
that while the objectives of the bill
were understandable, there were
many patriotic citizens who believed
that the authority to be granted
was such that it could readily be
applied to seizure of radio stations
or newspapers.
No Partisan Document.
1nasmuch as such q need for
power to seize property was doubt
less remote, the former Republican
standard-bearer made the point
that 1t would be better to reassure
the public than to get the broad
discretionary power for a remote
contingency.
The position of public officials in
the Republican party is somewhat
different from that of those who,
like Mr.. Willkie, are in private life.
The members of Congress, for in
stance, have official access to what
the Government is doing, particu-
larly in the executive agencies, and
can themselves modify the legis-
lation when it reaches Capitol Hill.
There are some evidences that
Democrats as well as Republicans
on Capitol Hill are beginning to
feel their responsibilities for the
handling of the defense program.
The report issued by the House
Military Affairs Committee, of which
Representative May, Democrat, of
Kentucky is chairman, is causing
a lot of discussion. 1t is really the
first official criticism that has been
made of the defense program as
whole and it is not in any sense
partisan document. 1t is restrained
and courteous in Its terms and does
not seek to single out any one agen-
cy or individual, but distributes the
blame widely.
The House Military Affairs Com
rnittee is the agency which is
charged with the responsibility of
checking upon the military program.
It took testimony in executive ses-
sion so as to refute any possible
suggestion that the purpose was to
air the Government inner secrets
in public. Many of the figures
gathered will doubtless be with
held. In fact, the House commit
tee has given in its lengthy report,
which will be printed next week,
an example of how to criticize and
at the same time furnish construc-
tive suggestions.
The defense program is such an
immense undertaking that mis-
takes were bound to be made. The
spirit of cooperation between the
Government departments charged
with the military program and in
dustry has been excellent, being i'm
paired only by those class-conscious
rrr11n ha
when they are not blasting away
at business. Their tactics have
brought discord and have produced
disunity. Only the President ap-
parently can dissuade them from
their strategy of wreckage at a
critical time.
Bill Was Modified.
Mr.. Willkie might have made
public statement on the property
seizure bill and it would have pro-
voked considerable controversy. He
might have been compelled to make
his views public, as it was, but he
found the War Department officials
cooperative and the conference re-
suited in a modified bill.
Not all the objections to the pro-
posal have been removed. Testi-
mony is being taken by the House
Military Affairs Committee. One
section in particular is causing con-
rerr IT iS that which relates t0
patent rights. Under one provision
1t Is assumed that the War Depart
ment might be able to take patents
from one company and give them to
another to use. There would ap-
pear to be little understanding as
yet of the dangers of such revela-
ton OF patent formulas to competi-
tors. If the American economic