Evening star., 1942-09-08

and given a time ultimatum in order
to do that which it logically ought
to do anyway.
The Presidents message is q
masterpiece of economic reasoning.
and there is no question about the
Importance of controlled and
balanced economy in order that
runaway initiation may be prevented
and an excessive war cost NAV not
be imposed on the American people.
But it still will be wondered why the
President tells Congress it must act
by october l, or he will take action
and that he believes he has the
constitutional power to act anyway.
1t is doubtful whether any Presi-
dent in American history ever felt
compelled to talk as bluntly or as
~threatenly to the Congress as
does Mr.. Roosevelt. His exact words
will become historic as marking an
epochal change in the relations be-
tween the Executive and legislative
branches of the Government. If the
word dictatorship" has ever been
misapplied before by unfriendly
critics, they will not hesitate now
to say that nothing more or less
than dictatorship is implied by the
Presidents words. He says:
L ask the Congress to take this
action by the first of October. In
action on your part by that date
will leave me with an inescapable
responsibility to the people of this
country to see to it that the war
effort is no longer imperiled by
threat of economic chaos.
Warns Congress.
In the event that the Congress
should fail to act and act ade-
quately, I shall accept the respon-
sibility and I will act.
AT the same time that farm
prices are stabilized, wages can and
will be stabilized also. This will do.
THE President has the powers
under the Constitution and under
congressional acts, to take measures
necessary to avert disaster which
would interfere with the winning
of the war. -
II cannot tell what powers may
have to be exercised in order to win
this war"
While the foregoing may prove to
many observers to manifest a sense
of despair on the part of the Presi-
dent as to the possibility that Con-
gress might not do as it is bid to do
by the Executive, the episode does
serve to bring to climax a revela-
tion of the actual weakness of the
present operation of our govern
mental system.
The British, for instance, do not
need to have such a statement made
by their Prime Minister. He can go
ahead and act, and if Parliament
disapproves he can be removed over
night, or if he thinks Parliament is
wrong, he can appeal to the country
In general elections to say whether
his course should or should not be
upheld.
Assured of Support.
But if the President is wrong and
Congress wishes to interpose its OBJ
iections to the course outlined, the
legislative body has no means of re-
moving the Executive until January,
1945, because the Constitution pro-
vides for removal only by impesch-
ment. There is no procedure to pre-
vent in advance an arbitrary course
that may be taken conscientiously
by a President who insists he has
the constitutional power to do that
which he asks Congress to do and
which it may fail to do
In this instance, doubtless, public
opinion will support the President
Fundamentally and in this instance,
too, there is scant sympathy with
the way Congress has dilly y-dallied
with the farm question. AS a matter
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