Evening star., 1942-02-12

dent on the idea that the past
record Of members Of Congress
on. the administration's foreign
policy should be the yardstick by
which they are to be measured in
the coming elections. He said:
1.-THE country is not interested in
examinations and recriminations
between isolationists ana inter
ventionists. Differences between
those two groups became obsolete
with our entrance into the war.
They are now united In our
common cause"
Cites British System.
Mr.. Landon's own idea is that
the voters should vote on the
issue of efficiency in government
and on the principles of gov
ernment. He contended that only
in this way can the best interests
of the country be served. It
was the duty of Republicans to
criticize where criticism was JUS
titled. He undertook, himself, to
criticize the administration where
he thought 1t has been at fault.
I'm this great national effort"
he said, 1--WE might well take a
leaf from the book of our Eng.
lish cousins. Their determine
tion to win ultimate victory never
changes. But they do change
leaders, in the field or at home,
wherever bungling management
OF their wars endangers military
success"
Again, he said, "the kind Of
politics that because of party
defends incompetence Is treason"
He charged there has been a lack
OF frankness on the part OF the
Executive in the emergency, and
said that "the New Dealers are
treating this war as just another
political alphabetical project"
He charged, too, that the New
Dealers are planning for "a total
itarian collectivism," to be re-
tanned after the conclusion Of
the war. He said that the coun-
try, when war came, was un-
prepared despite the huge ap-
preparations made by Congress
last year for national defense.
He complained that the admin
istration ignored the industrial
mobilization plan worked out
by the Army and Navy general
STATS. and as consequence,
not only was the country unpre-
pared, but little business" all
over the country is being ruined.
Calls for Imitation Curb.
Mr.. Landon urged that all non
defense expenditures be cut at
least Is per cent, that "all exist
ing inflationary policies that are
holdovers from its early days"
should be removed by the ad-
ministration 50 as to curb In
f1ation. He attacked the idea,
which he said had been put
forward by the President, that
the Executive should be en-
powered by legislation to make
quick adjustments in the timing
of tax rates and collections in an
emergency. This, he said, would
mean that Congress would dele
gate its authority over the raising
and application of taxes to the
Executive.
He praised, however, the Presi-
dents vast program of war pro-
duction. Our pride is stirred
and our enthusiasm inspired by
the extent Of the Presidents pro-
gram" he said, and he added.
I'VE believe it can be accom-
plished."
The Republicans are stating
their position regarding national
politics today. On February %,
when the Nation celebrates
Washington's birthday anniver-
sary, the Democrats will hold
rallies all over the country to
sound their cry to battle in the
coming elections. President
Roosevelt is expected to address
the Nation by radio that night.
telling the people of the war
effort and what must be done to
win. But whether he will say
anything bearing on the coming
elections in this address is an
other matter.