Evening star., 1941-02-10

~ Glle NdClon III 49, &
critical hour a
of world history, David Lawrence.
diStruSt. of the Chief Executive
should be so deep-seated as to be
formally recorded by substantial
number Of votes in the House of
Representatives.
The Republican leadership and
rank and file did courageous thing
in fighting the leaSe-lend bill. Po-
lltically dangerous-because events
may prove the Republicans as wrong
as they were in fighting the arms
embargo repeal-the minority party
has held to the American tradition
that there must be a check against
arbitrary power, actual or potential,
on the part of the Executive.
The lease lend bill is a tre-
mendously important measure.
Everybody here knows it can mean
war involvement if necessary to
our defense or it can mean absten-
ton from war and a British victory
or it can mean utter misuse of
power by the Presidents little group
of radicals and a transformation of
the whole economic system into a
form Of state capitalism with some
OF the features of communism and
faSCiSm mixed therein.
President May Need Power.
On the possibility that any mo-
mPnt the President may need all
the power in the lease lend bill and
even more to ward off an attack on
American interests and that there
would not be time to consult Con-
gresS there is little dispute. Such
a contingency is envisaged. But
there are Republicans who would
be willing to take chance on that
because they feel greater danger
faces America-a continued misuse
of power by executive agencies and
boards and commissions, which,
coupled with the vague powers of
the leaSe-lend bill, can create more
diScord, more economic disintegra-
ton and more interruptions to pro-
duction for defense than all the
agencies of Berlin and Moscow COM
bined.
If the Republicans are blind to
the realism of the world situation
it may be said that the President
is blind to the misuse of power 60
ing on all around him and the man.
ner in which his own cabinet officers
and other appointees are deliberately
sabotaging national unity.
The insidious influence Of the
Soviet theory of production control
by workers committees is already
advanced boldly and gets consider
able publicity. The whole labor
policy of defense is in the hands of
a man who is on the pay roll of
major labor union. The War De-
partment. including the chief of
staff Of the Army, has already sue
cumbed to labor intrigue by allow
ing political specifications to be in
serted in contracts that have moth
ing to do with the quality of the
goods bought or the prices. In such
an atmosphere the cries of dictator
ship are not as hollow as they seem
end that's why the Republican
party. feeling itself to be the only
single force left to defend free gov
eminent from inSidiouS attacks from
within, registers its protest even at
the cost of being accused of ZAP
peaSement" or of being pro-Hitler.
Administration Distrusted.
The Republican minority has
made its protest and now leaves to
the Senate and to an alert and
Vigilant press the task of bringing
about further correctives. But ali
the safeguarding amendments that
the Senate may think up and pass
will not remove the distruSt of the
administration which is being en-
eendered every day by arbitrary
minded officials whose faults are
either CLOSED over by the Presi-
dent because he doesn't like to hurt
the feelings of his appointees or be-
cause he is ignorant of what is
going on in his own encourage.
The cause of Britain and democ-
racy are dear to millions who want
to see Hitlerism crushed and totali-
tarianiSm beaten. But the fear may
we'll be entertained that a house
divided against itself may not see
victory unless somewhere, somehow,
the cause of national unity is served
by new attitude of discernment in
the White House toward the really
serious menace which is reflected in
the Republican vote in Congress.
Mr.. Roosevelt presumably has no
further political ambition. He right
fully has the ambition to be recorded
As truly great President who
steered America successfully through
a fateful period in history. But
his chances of winning that pres
tige will be dimmed as long as he
lets the agents of special privilege
and class interest sit in his councils
and exercise the powers granted him
by Congress. What America is
eager for is truly national policy
above petty politics, above intrigue,
above job-holding vanities and
zealotry such as permeate Washing
ton today 1t would be 'lealthful
experience for the entire civil branch
of the Government to take q trip
to some of the camps where youth
whose careers have been interrupted
by the hand Of Government are
making sacrifices. Maybe there
would ensue feeling that the pc
riod in which we are living is not
Just another era of experiment in
the isms and fancies of those who
sit comfortably at Washington desks
dreaming dreams of more and more
power for themselves even as Britain
calls desperately for help in her
defense of the last citadel of de-