The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1941-11-21
| With a Buckeye
In Congress.
ay CLARENCE !. 1Ro WITH
sasaas~v ~ c~agrsss. m Cas- Dsstrt~e

zNhzas21&
defense program rs W. know II, |
VAS buildeel III the creation and
j development Of our patlonal De
| fense program, along with III |
other Republican and Democratic
| Members Of the House, voted
/ for every defense appropriation
bill. There was no lack Of unity
or agreement within the Congress
as to the necessity Of desirability
i Of having Il strong and impreg
/ nable national defense for our
own country All all times the
/ members Of both parties have
stood together il their determin
alton that America BE made
strong and self-rcliant at the
earliest possible moment IN
many instances i has been the
Republicans hi Congress that
have lead the FIGHT and pointed
the way Ill our defense efforts
Soon after Congress began its
great task of building j national
defense program the President
announced his secretly made de-
stroyer deal, which provided for
the transfer to Great Britain Of
q good portion Of the American
i Navy Months later it became
| known that huge quantity of
] guns, munitions and ether Army
supplies had also bee transfer
/ red to Britain This was the first
i indication that the President ex-
. pectcd to ignore the Congress
q and the people IN matters Of for
eign policy Thus new method
was established for the transac-
4 tion Of foreign affairs BY the
i American government.
{ Then came the political cam
paign Of 1910 Both Democratic
i and Republican National Convcn-
tions wrote strong planks into
i their party platforms pledgins
/ unalterable opposition TO Ameri-
i can involvement in the European
t war. Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Will.
/ lSie, as candidates for the Presi-
1 dency. many times solemnlg
pledged the American peole
that their sons woula never be
sent to fight and die IN any for
eign war. Almost every candidats
for the House and Senate mac &
, similar pledges. made such Y
pledge to the people OF my III
trict have never eonsidere u
that pledge to he just bit OF
campaign oratory, but always as
a solemn covenant to be honestly
kept These pledges by the two
major parties and their candl-
dates were made after France
had fallen, while Russia and Ger
many were allies, aid at the time
when few believed that Great
Britain could long stand.
President Roosevelt was re
elected Soon thereafter as had
been predicted came the cry
from our munitions customers
across the seas that their cash
was exhausted. and that credit
was needed for Tire purchase Of
war material Early ii 1871 the
country was startled by the rre-
sentation to the Congress of the
Administration sponsored Lease
j Lend Bill, granting to the Presi-
, dent unusual and unlimited pow
J ers to give, lend. lease. or other
wise dispose Of, to any nation he
might choose, any war supplies,
1 | or almost any other material or
{ thing, that he might desire. on
{ any terms he might fix. | VOTED
/ against the Icase-Iend Bill.
/ Along with many others, | CON
tended that its passage you'd
! mean American conveys and
t would inevitably lead to our IN
/, volvement il the European strug-
, Gle The President told Us that
1 tlle Lease Lend Bill Wss a peace
J measure, and that furnishing
] arms and munitions to one group
: Of bellieerents, with which they
: would do the fighting, would
| make it unnecessary Tor the