Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1942-02-26
Might Be
WrOng--BUT
by p. G.. StrOmberg-


strong points stressed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt in his talk to the
nation last Monday night. If only
the President had taken steps
to enforce his plea for uninter-
rupted production he would not
have been guilty of waging an
other verbal offensive while
actually thous-
uninterrupted nds upon
Production thousands of
man hours
were being wasted, on the West
Coast alone, by men who refused
to work without double pay for
Monday and by those who de-
clined to work longer than eight
hours.
President Roosevelt is our
Commander in Chief. don't
question his ability or his intel
lect. l want to see him use the
tremendous powers vested in him
by the Congress. would like to
see him as strong and belligerent
in action as in words. I would
love to see him devote his talents
toward making this great coun-
try WAR CONSCIOUS. More,
would love to have him use his
persuasive powers to make this
great country conscious of pos
sible defeat. / would love to wit
ness the President take position
of WORK OR FIGHT with labor
and with management position
of PRODUCE WITHOUT IN
.TERRUPTION or the Govern
ment win operate the plant.
1t would give me great COM
fort land feel certain that such
comfort would be shared by most
American citizens) to realize
that the President of the United
States not only enjoys almost I'M
hampered powers but that he is
using those powers fully to
ENFORCE (not cajole) those
workers and leaders of industry
who hold working conditions, rate
of pay and profit above the need
for production.
The President is rather bitter
about criticism and an effort is
being made in Congress to out
law such outbursts from news
papers and columnists. That such
s a proposal has any chance of
success either in the Senate or
House seems out of the question.
Still there are men in high places
in Washington who think that
criticism today is
Healthy as much against the
Criticism national interests
Needed as was the efforts
of the Nyes, Wheel
ers and Lindberghs in the days
"before Pearl Harbor." They will
not find much public support,
however. A good and liberal use
of the privilege of free express
sion is the surest way of keep
ing all officials on their toes. Only
through such criticism will they
know when some adopted or pro-
posed policy portends disaster.
Witness England See how a
storm Of abusive criticism shook
even the strong Churchill. Wit
ness also the results obtained in
Washington recently through the
storm of protests and public
criticism of the activities of the
OCD and of the pension for MEM
bers Of Congress. There's nothing
stronger than a good and healthy
discussion of all phases of war
activities. Criticism Of 4, such
phases of our conduct of the war
effort which might conceivably
be of benefit to the enemy should
be tabooed. But it is doubtful if
and such criticism will be made.
/ for one am determined to
hold myself in hopeful readiness
to acclaim all which tends to inn
prove the country's position in
the war effort. Such acclaim will
not be withheld. On the contrary
it will be emblazoned with all the
force I possess. On the other
hand hold it to be not only my
rightfuI privilege but by bounden
duty to give expression to my
convictions regarding national
problems.
President Rooqevelt has made