The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-01-28

Smartest political interpreters are
still puzzled over why President
Roosevelt, facing the first anti
New Deal congress since 1882, set
off political fireworks at the very
opening of the new session by
naming Edward Flynn to be am
bassador" to Australia.
To anyone in Washington who
knows the political relationship
between Mr.. Flynn and the PreSl-
dent, it was clear that the Presl-
dent was paying off political
debt-but no one here believes
that Mr.. Roosevelt was so indebt-
ed to the New York POLITICAL that
it was worth the sacrifice Of rep
utation he made to give Eddie"
a break.
AS chairman of the National
Democratic committee, Mr.. Flynn
undoubtedly has thrown a con-
siderable amount of support to
the President. but Mr.. Flynn S
reputation, particularly IN the
East where he is known, is ques-
tionable. Even loyal New Dealers
will find it difficult to forgive the
President for appointing such a
man to handle such an important
and ticklish job as being repre-
sentative of our country in the
Pacific.
On several occasions since he
has been President, Mr.. RoOSe-
welt has been able to get away
with appointments which were
based chiefly on politics-such as
the appointment of Justic Black
to the U. S. Supreme court-but
this most recent appointment has
brought more criticism than any
made so far.
Obviously fearing that he may
not have the support Of the new
congress, the President m d e
strong pleas that politics be set
aside for the duration Of the war
and Republican leaders agreed
that politics should in no way be
permitted to interfere with the
war effort But now that the
President has, in the eyes Of the
Republicans as we'll as many OF
his own party, shown a COM
plete disregard for the no-politlcs
agreement. it is feared that poll
tics will hereafter run rampant
in Washington.
Some analysts feel that the
President made the Flynn ap-
pointment as a mean of testing
his power with the new congress,
but all agree that, no matter what
his reason, he has invited a poll
teal blackeye that will hurt him
for a long time to come.
So far as the war program Is
concerned, however, even those
who most strongly oppose the
domestic policies of the President
are expected to continue to give
him the support he needs. 1t IS
very difficult for some congress-
men to consider approving a fed
eral budget of over 100 billion
dollars, but it is known that the
people favor expenditures of mon
CIV. no matter how fantastic the
amount may seem, if it seems
necessary to guarantee winning
the war. There is little doubt
therefore that, Flynn or no Flynn,
the appropriations will be ap-
prove to furnish funds to produce
more war equipment than is be-
ing turned out by all other ma
tons combined.
Latest figures indicate that dur
ing 1913 Germany will spend
slightly over "a billion for war,
Italy less than nine billion and
Japan about seven billion -
total of about half of our eXpendi-
ture. Among our Allies, England
is expected to spend about Il
billion, and Russia Is billion.
To produce more war supplies
than all of the rest Of the world,
our civilian population may have
to make even greater sacrifices
than are now apparent. Such a
huge portion Of materials will be
used for war goods that even
though plans on paper call for
giving civilians adequate food and
supplies, it is quite possible that
we may be lacking many essen
tials before the year is over and
our distribution system may suf
fer many serious breakdOWns.
Estimates call for production
of civilian goods which would
amount to about $500 worth per