The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1941-04-11
CO M M E N T S
w it'll a Buckeye
In Congress.

ment. and prosecution ordered Of
the seamen attached to he seiz d
ships for acts OF sabotage TO the
vessels. AS tesult Of evidence
submitted that the sabotage OF
Italian ships was by order of an
official of the italian Embassy
Secretary Of State Hull late last
week officially requested the ltal-
ian government to recall their
hasn All ese This incident may
lead to further diplomatic actions,
and finally c1lminate in the sew
rance ol dis lcniatic relations
The parallel is being drawn be-
tween this recent development
nd those of 1916 and 1917,
when the Withdrawal Of Military
and Naval Attaches OF the Ger
an government was demanded.
leading to tn afinal result well
rnown to all.
To convoy or not to convoy
seems TO be the most important
question now before the Admin
stration. Within a short time the
question must be answered. If
American warships are to con-
voy merchant vessels destined
for England, they must, Of course.
protect such merchant vessels
against attack by the enemy
Otherwise the convoy would be
useless. Protection against the
enemy means a sea fight-and a
sea fight means that America is,
in the war.
It win be remembered that IN
the Fall of 1889 the only thing
yanted from America was a
change in the Neutrality Law to
permit the purchase of planes,
munitions and armament in the
United States, for cash on the
barrelhead, with shipments and
deliveries to be made only in the
vessels Of the purchasing nations.
In 1910 the request was for de-
stl'oyers, In early 1871 it was
the Lease-Lend Bill, with the
United States acting as an arr
senal and financing agent. Now
it is American warships for COM
voy work that we are being ask
ed to supply. What will tomor~
rows need be?
The country generally is fast
fast coming to the realization
that the strikes and labor dis
turbances that have been spread
ing over the nation are serious
threat to the National Defense
Program. As a result many COM
nun cations are being received
by Members of Congress demand
ing legislative action to meet the
situation. Seemingly many citi-
zens are overlooking the import
| ant fact that the President Of the
United States has now, and has
had for some time, full and COM
plete power and authority to put
stop to the labor troubles in ma
icnal Gefense Industries, and in
all basic industries Of the nation
that are so important to a prompt
completion Of defense plans. For
many weeks the Congress has
been ready and willing to act, but
Administration leaders have APP
eeared before Congressional COM
mittees insisting that no legisla-
tive action was necessary or de-
irable. A number Of those close
to the President, including Mrs.
Roosevelt herself, have openly
criticized Members of Congress
for demanding that something be
done about the strike situation.
President Roosevelt, just a few
tays ago, suggested that no ac-
tion be taken by Congress until
ais Defense Mediation Board was
given a thorough trial. AT the
same time many Members of
Congress insist that the Media
=tion Board has no real power,
and that it cannot accomplish real
results while containing as a part
Of its membership the very men
responsible for some Of the Ia
Dor disturbances.
Last week both Democrat and
Republican congressman alike
openly called upon the President
to use his authority to stop strike
violence now going on and to
open the defense manufacturing
plants DOW closed because Of la
Dor troubles. Out Of The entire
situation one fact looms large;
that most Of the present strikes
and labor troubles are not doine,
tn egreat mass Of organized labor
any good. Undoubtedly many
thousands Of loyal, hard working
members Of organized labor who
have IN no way had anything to
do with the present troubles, will
suffer as q rnS,1If af fba , ot;