Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-29

We-I1l 2 q II II
America must
Jay Franklin. marry ourselves
to the British feet and nation"
What Jefferson foresaw did not
come to pass, but it is well to remind
ourselves that the man who did
most TO make the American Revolu-
ton mean something was quite
ready to remerge our destiny with
that of the empire of King George
III in order to defend our country
from tyrannical conqueror.
The "lease-lend" proposals to aid
England are equally realistic. Pres
ident Roosevelt, in his realism. has
gone back to Thomas jefferson for
the policy and formula with which
TO defend ourselves from Hitlers
new order of tyranny. The plan
means that, for the duration Of the
crisis. we shall marry ourselves to
the British feet and the British
commonwealth of nations, by serv-
ing as the arsenal Of democracy and
doing whatever Is necessary 70
achieve our goal.
Two of the most respected and
conservative figures in our public
life-Cordell Hull for the Democrats
and Henry L. Stimson for the Re-
publicans, both cabinet officers in
Mr.. Roosevelts national unity adj
ministration-have testified as TO the
seriousness of the danger and the
necessity for the powers to be
granted TO the Executive.
Congress Being Consulted.
The opposition-mainly recruited
from the Little America Of the APP
peasers-have sought to argue that
this bill means dictatorship. Here
they are doing democracy no good
service. When the destroyer base
deal was announced last summer.
it was generally approved. Its crit
les complained only that Congress
should have been consulted and all
lowed TO pass on the transaction.
Now Mr.. Roosevelt is consulting the
Congress- Every day Of delay, every
loose and reckless charge, every
attempt to play politics with the
crisis, simply serves to discredlt our
representative institutions.
In an emergency-any emergency
the one, clean simple need is for
prompt and decisive action. This is
true without exception. Unless Con-
gresS can show that it is capable
of prompt and decisive action on
this and many other urgent meas
ureS which are as yet unforeseen,
the American people in self-defense
must find other ways of doing the
job, without reference to Congress.
Thus Jefferson arranged the Louis
lana Purchase-an act which he
believed to be unconstitutional
without reference to Congress, be-
cause he knew that that body of
legislators would Oily and daily,
crate and Illustrate. until the golden
moment had been lost.
The man charged with direct,
single responsibility for the defense
of the United States is the President.
He cannot share or delegate that
power. Instead, he can request sup
port and action from the Congress
and from the people, but he is alone
responsible. In this case, the Pres
ident has just received a fresh and
impressive mandate from the people
for the defense of America. of free
dom and of democracy. His oppo-
nent in the campaign, Wendell Will
kie, has Endorsed the lend bill.
The views of Herbert Hoover and
ALI Landon are on par with those
of any other private citizen. They
lack authority, mandate and juris-
diction in our Government and were
not even involved in the campaign,
except by their own volition. They
are not qualified to pass on any
subject pertaining to the national
defense, least of all Mr. Hoover,
who was responsible for the neglect
of our naval power.
Must Protect Liberalism.
No greater harm could be done to
the cause of democracy and defense
than to permit individuals to iden-
tify liberalism with impotence and
defeatiSm. There never was a more
sincere progressive than the late
Fighting Bob" LaFollette of Wis
consin, but his filibuster against the
necessary war measures of the Will
son administration served only to
identify liberalism with incipient
treason. and exposed the liberals and
progressives to persecution and dis
trust at the very moment when their
help and advice was most needed.
Thus the true authors of the Mitch
ell Palmer Red Scare" of 1919 and
the anti-Soviet policies of subse-
quent administrations we're the little
group of willful men like LaFollette
who failed to perceive the realities
of national defense and tarred liber-
alism with the brush of treason.
My advice to those who believe in
democracy is to demand prompt and
decisive action by the Congress and
to repudiate all liberals" whose
tactics make liberalism an effective
agency of the Nazis, defeatists and
appeasers in the totalitarian drive
against our lives, our faith and our
freedom.
Just in passing it might be men,
toned that Jefferson did not hest
tate to have Aaron Burr. ex-Vice
President. tried for treason.
tRelessed by Consolidated News restures)