Evening star., 1944-07-30
Commander in Chief Issue

peace and forgiveness. The repres-
sion of this rebellion" was justi-
fed purpose of high politics.
Andrew Jackson warned against
notification, both as President and
Commander in Chief, and it was
assumed at the time that he would
have taken the field personally to
suppress direct rebellion. In 1850
when angry cotton States groups
threatened succession If California
came into the Union as free State
President Zachary Taylor served
notice that he would crush any re-
bellion by force of arms.
The first Republican President of
the United States found civilian
interference" necessary to win the
Civil War. Indeed. no man in our
history has used the power of Com
mander in Chief more directly, COM
pletely and uSefully than Abraham
Lincoln, and it became his chief
source OF strength to save the Union
Indeed, 1t was as Commander in
Chief, not as President, that he
issued the Emancipation Proclama-
ton. Early in 1862, Lincoln sensed
the imperative need for increased
public support for the Union cause
and determined to abandon the
thesis adopted in the first days of
the war-"the Union as it was and
the Constitution as it is'-in favor
of the deeper one of freedom for the
slaves. While he waited for VIC
tory before issuing the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation, it was as Com
mander in Chief that he offered
freedom to every slave in territory
under Confederate control. In the
issue. this essentially political de-
ciSion on his part transformed the
static Union purpose into a dynamic
drive for freedom. 1t was as Com
mander in Chief that Lincoln won
the war.
Roosevelt Differs.
What shall we say of Franklin D.
RooSevelt's record in this aspect of
the office and powers of the Presi-
dent?
One is that he has not employed
these powers nearly to the extent
Lincoln did. In part this stems out
Of the different natures of the two
men. Lincoln illustrated iron hand
under velvet glove. His compassion
for the foibles of others, and un-
derstanding of the springs of hu-
man feeling, were real and deep
At the same time he would not
hesitate to crack down when he felt
the situation required it. President
Roosevelt, however, seems much
more of persuader than COM
mander. and rather steps out of the
character when he undertakes to
crack down. The suggestions which
flow from his active imagination
and amazing memory are multifa-
rious, since boyhood he has been
factinated by the many sides of the
art of war, and he has become an
amateur strategist of discernment
and skill. These qualities and in
terests have implemented his official
responsibility as President and Com
mander in Chief to join with other
chiefs of State in making decisions
on the high political level as to
when and where the major empha-
sis of our military effort will be
placed
Furthermore, Roosevelt was lucky
just as Lincoln was unlucky, in the
top flight generals he had on hand
when the war began. Lincoln went
in office just six weeks before Sum-
ter, and had no chance to discover
the latent talent then available
But Roosevelt, who had ben in office
five years before Munich, had the
chance to discover George C. Mar
shall, and jump him to the position
of chief of staff.
Probably Roosevelt's chief talent
In the total global war has been his
team play in our alliances with
Britain and Russia. The interplay
OF minds and purposes between the
President, Prime Minister Churchill
and Marshal Stain. one of the WON
ders OF the war, has yielded an ef-
fective denominator of common pur-
pose. But Roosevelt's actual Inter
ference" with the details of supply
progress, transport plans and cam
palgn employment of Americas s
forces would seem micro
scopic in comparison with Lincoln's
internventions.
Practical Politician.
The chief criticism, doubtless. of
Roosevelt as Commander in Chief
In the summer of 1914 arises be-
cause of the fact that he is running
for reelection. His opponents fear
that he is running as Commander
in Chief and not President, because
there are more trailing clouds of
glory and perhaps more votes.
1t is hard to see how the situa-
ton could be otherwise. OF course.
Franklin Roosevelt wants to be re-
elected, else he would not have &C
cepted the nomination, and, of
course, he vies with Lincoln in be-
ing master politician, with a deep
understanding of public mood and
Will. AS a practical politician he
can be expected to parade his good
points and hide the others. And his
best point Is his leadership of the
Nation in war.
Justice Sutherland may have been
right in his 1919 suggestion that the
office OF President and that of Com
mander in Chief are separate. Yet
It so happens that the Constitution
expressly confers the POI 1rs and