Evening star., 1944-10-24
Grove Mistake Made
By Ball, Says Writer
Roosevelt Now Seen Committed
to an Extremist Position

Roosevelt Now Seen Committed
to an Extremist Position
By David Laurence
Senator Joseph H. Ball, Republican, Of
Minnesota has made . grave mistake
In forcing the plan for the proposed in
ternational security organization to be-
come an issue in partisan politics in
this campaign
Not content with the broad response
OF Gov. Dewey and the equally broad
expression by President Roosevelt, the
Minnesota Senator now has committed
Mr.. Roosevelt to an extremist position
which plays directly into the hands of
the isolationists and imperils American
entry into such an organization, no
matter which nominee Is elected.
For Mr.. Ball understands President
Roosevelt to favor plan whereby
American boys may be ordered into war
by the President hereafter without the
specific consent Of the American people
normally given by declaration Of war
In particular dispute.
On that issue Gov. Dewey can speak
forthrightly now. He Is under no obi.
cation to maintain an attitude Of aloof-
ness. He is, in fact, compelled to tell
the American people that he does not
favor delegating the power to make
war to the Chief Executive but must
insist that American blood shall never
be shed unless the people knowing the
circumstances of the specific dispute
want to use their armed forces to end
that dispute.
Power to Declare War.
The American Constitution gives
Congress alone the power to declare war.
What Senator Ball proposes now and
what he implies that Mr.. Roosevelt has
agreed to is that in the future the
President shall have the power to de-
eide when armed forces are to be en-
ployed in any part Of the globe even
when neither the United States nor Its
direct interests have been attacked.
Mr.. Roosevelt in his speech last Sat-
urday night did not 90 as far as sena-
tor Ball does. The President merely
said:
TT is clear that, If the world organ
ization is to have any reality at all, our
American representative must be en-
dowed in advance by the people them
selves, by constitutional means through
their representatives In Congress, with
authority to act"
. On its face this could mean either
that Congress might instruct the Amer
lean representative in advance OF
particular dispute or Congress might
give blanket authority to our repre-
sentative to act at any time and in any
or all disputes. Gov. Dewey favored the
former plan and now, If Senator Balls
statement issued after conferences and
discussions within the last 10 days with
Mr.. Roosevelt is to be taken at its full
meaning, the Congress would not be per-
mitted to pass judgment hereafter on
each specific controversy but would in
effect surrender its right to declare war.
This can only be done by a constitu-
tional amendment enabling Congress to
share its war-making powers with an
appointee of the Chief Executive and
hence with the President himself. Mr..
Ball, however, understood Mr.. Roose-
welt In his speech to say that the United
Nations Council "be granted power to
use military force against future ae
gressors without requiring individual
approval Of each member nation"
Suner-State Idea
This Is the super-state idea and one
which the late President Wilson fought
against in Paris when it was proposed
by the French in 1919. This implies
also that the Congress- must surrender
even its right to amend any previous
legislation of instructions to the Amer
lean delegate If Congress should dis
agree with the Executive.
Since no. Congress can bind a Sue
cessor Congress and any law or Joint
resolution is good only for two years,
Senator Ball apparently wants to make
it possible for Congress to delegate ir.
revocably its war authority to an Amer
ican delegate and this must mean Q
constitutional amendment If Mr..
Roosevelt's solution "by constitutional
means" implies a constitutional amend
ment this Is the time for the issue to be
debated. Such an amendment will never
be adopted
Unless, therefore. the President re-
pudiates either now or subsequently the
extreme Interpretation assumed N
Senator Ball, he will merely harden the
Republican position and create more
distrust and suspicion. Then <the
necessary two-thirds' majority both
for the treaty and any constitutional
amendment would be lost altogether.
The cleavage might even prevent pass
age of . joint resolution by majority
vote 80 earnestly hoped for as q COM
promise method to deal with q given
dispute . year or more In advance of
its acute stages.
Senator Ball has done a disservice to
the cause of world peace and almost
assured by his action repetition of the
partisan debate of the 1920s especially
If Mr.. Roosevelt is reelected.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)
Cooperation