Evening star., 1942-01-12

CopitoI-White House
Lioison Urged
Writer Tells Of Need
For Cooperation Of Executive
And National Legislature
By Buel W. Patch.
At the beginning Of the second month
Of American participation in the war,
there remained to be developed . salts
factory method Of keeping Congress as .
whole ofncially informed on the conduct
and progress Of the war. The plan for
appearances of representatives of the
State Department, and presumably Of
other departments and war agencies,
before executive sessions Of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee consti-
tuted only Q limited answer to demands
for establishment Of some form OF close,
regular naison between the legislative
and executive branches Of the Govern
ment. enabling Congress to check up on
the progress Of the war effort. Express
sion Of such demands ct the opening Of
the 1942 session was believed to reflect
complaints which members Of Congress
had heard from their constituents over
reverses suffered In the Pacific.
The progress Of defense production
has been scrutinized during recent
months by . special Senate committee
headed by Senator Truman Of Missouri
and by the House Military Affairs Com
mittee, but their activities have to some
extent duplicated each other. Now that
the United States is at war, 1t has been
contended that such activities should be
charged with maintaining q constant
inquiry into the effectiveness not only Of
war production efforts but Of the military
and naval effort.
Senator Vandenberg Of Michigan has
proposed creation of q congressional
committee to advise with the President
on the conduct Of the war. Senator
George Of Georgia was quoted, January
2, As saying: There is a real need for .
thorough understanding and complete
cooperation between Congress and the
executive departments. Congress ought
to be kept intelligently informed of what
Is going on" He expressed the opinion.
however. that satisfactory contact could
be maintained through the chairmen Of
the regular committees Of Congress.
Senator Taft of Ohio observed that a
special committee might become merely
. critical group, hampering to the war
effort. unless the President were willing
to give 1t full cooperation.
Proposals to establish closer relation
ship between the Legislature and the
Executive in the war emergency recall
suggestions to the same end advanced in
time OF peace Is q permanent govern
mental reform. To mitigate some of
the disadvantages inherent In the system
Of separation Of powers, 1t has thus fire.
quently been recommended that cabinet
members be given seats on the floor Of
one or both houses, where they could
participate in debate, but not vote. and
be called upon to answer questions con-
cefning their departments, much as Is
the custom in the British House Of Com
mons.
During the present war, the British
Prime Minister has appeared at irregular
intervals before the House Of Commons
to give review Of the war situation In
such an appearance. September 80, 1941,
however. Mr.. Churchill recalled that he
previously had deprecated making too
frequent expositions Of government pol
icy and reviews Of the war situation by
Ministers of the Crown" since anything
which is said which is novel or strange
will, Of course. be studied attentively by
the enemy and may be of-help to him in
measuring our affairs" Even II infor-
nation be submitted in secret session,
there is always risk. in the case Of q
body 50 large as the House Of Commons
or the United States Congress, Of leakage
Of information Of possible value to the
enemy.
Such considerations constitute an ar
gument for establishment of liaison
through a small committee When Con-
gress convened to revise the Neutrality
NV, tAACC VEGAS dlVST Lllc outbreak OF
the war tn Europe In 1899, President
Roosevelt asked 1t to adjourn at the
conclusion Of that business, but said that
leaders Of both parties would remain in
Washington. and that he intended to
consult with them at frequent intervals
on the course Of events in foreign affairs
and on the need for future action In this
field, whether 1t be executive or legisla-
tive action" This plan for close COL
laboration between the White House and
the Capitol. however, was not put into
practical operation. Nor was progress
made by two proposals submitted to
Congress at that time, one calling for .
Joint congressional committee to act as
an agency through which information on
foreign policy could be transmitted to
the Legislature, the other calling for q
joint congressional al-cabinet committee to
consult with the President on foreign
policy.
Says Foam ExtinguisherY
May BE Used Against Bombs.
n thA RAitnS ~ Yh. at.r.