Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-04
Lend Bill
FIunks on
Third Test
Case for Aid Analysed
Under lndustry's Rule
1.-THE opinions expressed by
General Johnson are not neees-
soriiy those of The Detroit
Times.)
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

BY HUGH S. JOHNSON
THE good old industrial rule
L governing action should be
applied to laid to Britain short
of war" as proposed in the
lease-lend bill. That rule is to
test every proposed new action
by asking three questions in the
order named.
G-Why do it at all?
(2)-Why do it now?
(3)-Why do it this way?
II it gets by question No.
with a good answer. il must re-
ply 10 No 2-otherwise il stops
there. Only if No 2 is satisfied
does II proceed. II this happens,
its acceptance. rejection or
amendment will depend on the
answer 10 question No. B.
There are few earnest. hon
est. courageous and sincere men.
like Colonel Lindbergh, who an
swer question No. ! (why do il
al all2l thus:
There Is no good reason"
But the answer of a large ma
jority of sloganeered public
opinion and also of informed
authorities IS:
Because such aid to Britain
rs will help to stop a threat Of
unfricndly European &c o n
westward il enlightened self
interest"
IT SEEMS a sufficient answer
80 We ge on to No.
"Nhy do IL now"
There is less certainty about
that. based largely on the OBJ
lection that II will interfere
with our own terribly laggard
and lacking defensive prepara-
ton. But let us assume that,
by wise administration, a proper
balance can be struck.
While no important aid can
be effective this year without
stripping our own defense and
while We may face an entirely
different situation next year.
yet time saved now will be time
saved in 1912.
SO let us say 70 the proposal
at the barrier of question No. 2:
Pass friend and alIs we'll"
THAT brings us 10 question
L No. 3-Why do it this way,
the particular way proposed
by the lease-lend bill?
That bill authorizes the Presi-
dent IN his own unlimited dis
erection TO lease. lend or give
away any part of all the billions
OF dollars OF property the gov
eminent owns TO any nation he
elects and every dollars worth
of stun for which Congress has
appropriated or may hereafter
appropriate further billions.
That includes a great treasure
In gold, silver. copper. petro-
leum. cotton, corn and wheat.
and vast equity and first lien
interests in much of the entire
pool Of property in America. II
includes all Of our military and
naval airplanes. warShipS. tanks,
guns and ammunition.
1t simply but Slickly appropri-
ates "all the money there is for
any purpose whatever" In view
of the bankruptcy OF other ma
tons AT war and their lack Of
supplies il makes the President
Of the United States quarter.
master general. chief of ord
nance and minister of military
and naval supplies for any war
ring nation he may favor.
II does much more than that.
II empowers him 10 become
banker TO the embattled world
lord high keeper of the sinews
OF war everywhere on earth.
THIS is no exaggeration. No
i body who has studied the bill
can successfully deny what has
Just been said The only object
ever announced for this bill was
to furnish munitions TO Britain.
China and Greece. even though
they cant pay for them.
For that no such wholesale
surrender of congressional power
is remotely necessary. For that
A far simpler method of specific
grantS-in-aid would be better
and would meet almost univer-
sal approval. Nobody denies
that Nobody truthfully can
deny il.
II is said:
Don't you trust the PresI-
dent? He will not use these
pow ,rs."
The answer is:
'If he will not use them. vhy
grant them and don't we trust
Congress. too"
There Is Overwhelming forther
objection. The chief of mill
tary, naval and financial supply"
of a warning nation is as much
responsible for It's victory or
defeat as its communicating
chief. He undertakes control of
It's strategy so far as logistics
are concerned - and that IS
exactly as far as armies and
navieS are concerned.
We are not vet in this war
and we don't want 10 see our