Evening star., 1944-04-05

alQe OF a PreSl- i"hA H. neh''
dent publicly differed with his chief
on an important policy, there was
but one thing for him to do
namely, resign. Nothing else makes
sense. Under such circumstances, to
remain in a key position Is clearly
ridiculous.
No business, big or little, could
function that way and no govern
ment should. When Lewis w. Doug
las, Dean Acheson, John w. Hanes,
George Peek and others found
themselves in fundamental disagree
ment with Mr.. Roosevelt they ten
dered their designations and got out.
1t never occurred to them-or to any
one else-that any other course was
possible.
This is what makes the attitude
Of the President toward Manpower
Commissioner Paul McNutt and
Mr.. McNutt's attitude toward the
President so difficult to reconcile
with reason. Because Mr.. McNutt,
appearing last week before a House
committee, took sharp issue with the
President on the National Service
Act.
In a message to Congress Mr..
Roosevelt formally declared that in
his judgment such an act is in
dispensable if the war is to be won
In the shortest possible time with
the least possible toll of sacrifice,
sorrow and blood" Last week Mr..
McNutt expressed his opposition to
the passage of such a bill; said it
was not needed now and that in his
judgment it would be little less
than tragic" to displace voluntary
cooperation with military or bu-
reaucratic processes"
Presidents Stand Contradicted.
This, it is true, is exactly the line
the labor bosses have taken on this
issue, but it is in direct contradic-
tion to the position of the President.
Also it directly clashes with the
Judgment of Secretary of War Stim-
son, Undersecretary of War Patter-
son, Secretary of the Navy Knox,
Gen. Marshall, Admiral King and
Chairman Land of the War Shipping
Administration-all of whom have
pleaded with Congress to enact the
national service legislation as the
quickest way to win the war.
In the light of this extraordinary
unity, it seems almost incredible
that MIR. McNutt should publicly
challenge the Judgment not only of
the President, his chief, but of the
combined heads of the armed sery-
ices. The performance becomes still
more amazing when the whole
strange record of Mr.. McNutt on
this matter is considered.
For example, as the New York
Times points out, in 1912 he told a |
House committee that a national
service act was inevitable" but on
March l, 1943, he disagreed with
Mr.. Stimson upon the necessity of
such legislation and insisted upon
trying the voluntary method"
however. "a days later he reverted
TO his former position that service
legislation was inevitable"
In February of this year he was
again for compulsion on the ground
that the armed services knew what
they needed and their Judgment
should not be questioned. That was
eight weeks ago. Now he is back on
the other side of the fence. ounos-
ing the President, all the heads of
the armed forces and the War Shin
ping Administration. And still he
retains his post as one of the most
important of the presidential aides
charged with one of the most i'm
portant jobs in the whole Admins
tration.
Explanation Asked,
What Is the answer to all thjsp
What is the matter with the presi-
Gent that he permits an aide tn
remain after he has been to Com
gress disputing his judgment and
urging that body not to carry ont
tne presidential request on a mat
Ter essential to the winning of the
war? What is the matter with Mr.
McNutt that, differing on such a
matter with the President and all
our military and naval heads he
does not tender his resignationp If
there is an adequate explanation il
has not been advanced.
The suggestion that Mr.. McNutt 2
very practical Indianian politician
who never has been known tn clash
with authority, would not have ner-
formed as he has had he not known
that Mr.. Roosevelt, politically close
to the labor bosses. was not really
anxious to have the hill ,,oecoI 4l,oL