Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-28
Problems Of a War
President Discussed
By QUEEN L. Scott.

|
dent is shouldering the immense burdens
| that 60 with leadership in two wars
being fought simultaneously. Yet that
task as commander in chief is beginning
| to look like simplicity itself compared
| with the task Of leading warning groups
| at home.
The Presidents own official aides arc
fighting one another like cats and dogs.
| A coalition of Democrats and Repubn-
cans in Congress is sitting up nights
| trying to figure out ways to make Mr..
| Roosevelt's task more difficult At the
same time, there is a scramble on the
| part of farmers and workers and, IN
| some cases, business groups to try to get
| rich out of the war, regardless of the
| consequences.
| How the President stands up under the
| burdens that fall upon him as a result
| of these situations is very much mys-
| terry. Yet he does. He manages to re-
main cheerful. He is keeping his tenn
| per. And. despite the efforts to trip him
up, he is accomplishing very many re-
suits including the one OF getting on
with the wars against Germany and
| Japan while at least maintaining his
own in the various domestic wars at
home.
That. at least, is the appraisal of the
situation that is being made by disinter-
ested observers here.
There is agreement that this situation
probably is without precedent This Is
true because the task Of being President
today is far more complicated and far
more exactng than in any previous war
No other present-day war leader is con-
fronted with quite the problems that
President Roosevelt faces. In Germany
and Japan and Russia there are absolute
relationships, where rulers need deal
with few, if any, political problems. In
England there is political truce that
relieves Prime Minister Churchill Of most
political problems.
In this country, however, the domes-
tic political and economic problems sell
dom have appeared more acute. Mr.
Roosevelt must take time off from his
war leadership to wrestle with those
problems. In doing So he discovers that
there is coalition in Congress that de-
lights in making his task more difficult.
This coalition, in turn. rests upon two
bases. che a determination to make sure
that the President doesn't lntrench him.
self sufficiently to seek and obtain a
fourth nomination, the other desire to
satisfy voter groups who want to obtain
some special advantage during the war.
The two most acute domestic problems
are those concerning utilization Of man.
power and those affecting the strong
wartime trend toward imitation.
In trying to deal with the first prob
lem, Mr.. Roosevelt discovers himself
doing battle with Congress. Many
Congressman, even majority, insist
that the Army this country is building
Is too big. They are seeking ways to
prevent the drafting Of farmers and to
return to the farms men already draft
ed. They are baking at use of the Sc
lective Service Act on work or fight
basis, although that use was accepted
in the last war when demands for men
were far less acute than now. They
want to find some way to fight pain
less war-one that will not upset homes
or inconvenience very many voters.
In trying to deal with the second prob
lem, Mr.. Roosevelt likewise discovers
himself doing battle with Congress. 1t
almost certainly will require a White
House veto to prevent Congress from as
surfing still higher prices for farmers.
Farm prices today are SO per cent above
the average Of the 1889 year. The Pres
ident may not be able to prevent re-
moval of controls that now limit salary
increases. If those controls 60, then
workers will have an almost irresistible
argument for taking off wage controls.
Congress is baking at drastic further
increases in taxation Of personal IN
come. Yet the amount Of income in
the hands of individuals in this country
is beginning to reach astronomical pro-
portions.
The Presidents veto power may en-
able him to win some of these develop
ing battles in Congress. In the mean
time, however, he is having to devote
time and attention to an effort to head
off action in order to avoid wholesale
vetoes that would only aggravate the
growing rift between the Executive and
Congress.
Two forces are operating to compu-
cate the Presidents problem.
The first of these forces grows from
the normal desire of people to avoid the
kind of sacrifice that war requires il it
is to be fought successfully. People don't
like to be drafted, if that means q break
up Of homes, and they Go like to get
rich quickly. if that opportunity opens,
Both of those likes and dislikes now
are at work
The second of the forces is political
Politicians suspect that President Roose-
| welt is going to seek a fourth term
| There are powerful groups even in his
| own party which strongly oppose an
! other term for the President. They are
| seeking now to build the base for OPP
| position to him next year if he should
be put forward by his friends in another
| "draf t-Roosevelt' move. Mr.. Roosevelt
| might solve several of his problems if
ne would say that he would under no
circumstances accept a fourth nominal
| ton. The President cannot say that
without an effect on his war leadership.
The result is that President Roosevelt
| finds himself IN a very difficult position
| and one that is not likely to become
| easier as the months go by.
Herbert Hoover
tho !