The Wilmington morning star., 1944-07-25
Both Making Mistakes

The New York Times ably points out tn
misconception and wrong Interpretation c
President Roosevelt's position as Commando
in Chief and his use of the term in his lette
10 Chairman flanagan. 1t is developing int
political controversy, says the Times iii
which both Republicans and Democrats hav
begun to make Mistakes
On the one hand, adds the Times:
The Republicans, as evidenced by their
platform and by Mr.. Dewey's acceptance
speech, seem in danger of taking the po
sition that the Presidents constitutional
role as Commander in Chief is wholly
incidental factor in the war and that the
major decisions in this field have been
made and should continue to be made.
by the high command of the Army and
the Navy, without civilian influence
a phrase used both by the platform and
by Mr.. Dewey. But this gives an unreal
picture of the situation. Nothing is clearer
than that the greatest single military de-
cision in the whole conduct of the war
thus far-the decision to throw the main
bulk of our strength first into Europe,
rather than divide it between Europe and
the Pacific--Was made, and should have
been made, by the President and not by
the Army and Navy. The Army and Navy
he Army and Navy, could present strong
arguments either way based upon strate-
gic grounds; but under our system of gov
eminent only the President had authority
to decide whether these plans were con-
sistent with the material resources Of the
country, with the state of public morale
at home, with the purposes and obliga-
tons of American foreign policy. This in
cident is typical of the responsibility he
carries as Commander in Chief
And on their side:
The Democrats are in danger OF max
ing a mistake of another kind on the
same issue. This is the mistake of at
tempting to exploit, for political purposes,
the responsibility and authority of the
Presidents position as Commander in
Chief 1t will be difficult to convince many
fair-minded people that there was any
military mission so urgent as to require
Mr.. Roosevelt's presence at West Coast
naval base on the very day when he
NEW he would be delivering his accept
ance speech, and equally difficult to make
them believe that this spot was not chosen
deliberately for the purpose of emphasz-
ing his role as Commander in Chief In
his short letter to Mr.. Hannegan, agreeing
to be a candidate Mr.. Roosevelt used
the phrase Commander in Chief no few
er than three times. In his acceptance
/. speech itself he said that he would not
campaign, in the usual sense, for the Of
fice,' since he would not consider it fit
ting" and "besides, in these days of glo-
bal warfare l shall not be able to find
the time Here Mr.. Roosevelt seems al
most to forget that it is the Constitution
which imposes on so busy a man the in
convenience of quadrennial election.
Both parties have need to correct their pre-.
ent attitudes. The right thing for the Reput
lcans to do is not to argue that the Pres
dent has no great military responsibilities
and for the Democrats 'it would be best
keep Mr. Roosevelt in civilian clothes, rathe
than wrap him in too much braid"
The position of the Times is sound. but
will be hard to convince malcontcnts in bot
parties Of the fact.
u