Evening star., 1951-03-17
The Political Min
Debate on Troop Use
Branded as 'PoIifIufF
Mrs. Rogers Says Big Bombers
Have Ended IsoIutionism
BY Gould Lincoln

,, ~
By Gould Lincoln
Mrs. Edith Nourse Rogers, Massa-
chusetts Republican veteran member
of the House, reached up into the air
and pulled down a word of her own
"polihuff describe one feature of
the great debate" She used it to-
describe the arguments of some Of
our distinguished statesmen that
America should send no troops to
Europe, but that America should stay
at home and defend the Western Hemi-
sphere. She could use it, too, to describe
some of their arguments that Congress
must put the bee on every assignment
of troops to the European area by the
President. :.
The Massachusetts, Congresswoman
was addressing the House. Her plea,
however. was to those both in and out
of Congress who are urging a policy
of withdrawing to the Western Hemi-a
sphere. She said, IT say to you Ito
face the facts squarely and honestly
and stop this constant flow of polifluff
to the American people A scintilla
of windy reason blows it into oblivion.
Science and the intercontinental bomb
United States Already Committed.
There's another subject involved in
the great debate" on which Mrs.
Rogers spoke with equal defniteness-
the argument that Congress should
give it's approval every time the Presi-
dent orders additional troops to
Europe. She's against any such process,
believing that the President has the
ixo
that it would be insane to have 531
members of Congress pass on strictly
military matters. She might have said
again 'poliduff" and hit the nail on
the head.
of Congress, however, to dabble in mill
tary affairs is the very nub of two reso-
lutions now before the Senate-one "a
simple Senate resolution and the other
a concurrent resolution identical in
language. 1t is, unfortunately, wrapped
up in such fancy language that hours
are being spent, or will be spent, in
terpretlng it. 1t does say, however, that
congressional approval should be OBJ
tanned of any policy requiring the as
Slgnment OF American troops abroad
when such assignment is in implementa-
ton of Article of the North Atlantic
Treaty. To Senator Ives, Republican,
of New York this means that every.
time the President decides to send an
additional corporals guard to Europe
after the four new divisions now prom
ised have been dispatched-he must get
the approval of Congress To others it
does not mean just this-but something
not quite SO drastic. What it seems to
represent is an effort to get certain
Republicans, who have split widely over
this troop issue, together.
It's an issue, however that cannot be
ducked in this fashion. The United
states already has committed itself
under the North Atlantic Treaty to take
part in mutual defense preparations
with the other signatories of the treaty.
that is in the Eisenhower army now
forming in Western Europe. No further
congressional action is needed to estab-
hsh policy. 1t is matter that is I'D
70 the Commander in Chief and the
military leaders of the United States, go
Notwithstanding the fact that under
the Constitution the President is made
commander in Chief of the armed forces
OF the United States, this is not the first
time that there have been congressional
efforts to take hand in the deployment
of troops
Past Congressional Interference,
Senator Connally of Texas, chairman
OF the Foreign Relations Committee, in
MS opening speech of the debate on
these resolutions, called attention to the
unfortunate manner in which George
washington had been hobbled by the
continental Congress in the conduct of
the Revolutionary War. The Continen-.
tai Congress appointed a committee to
draft instructions for the general
Washington. Each communication from
the general in the field was referred to
special congressional committee. The
congress moved generals around. -
Also, during the Civil War, Congress-
set up the Joint Committee on the Con-
duct of the War; as Senator ConnalIv
SAID This committee proceeded to in.
terrogate generals as if they were school,
boys and to advise the President on mill
tary matters, and sought to intimidate
the President Uincoln) by threatening
to arouse Congress against him"
There is no slightest doubt that some
OF the Senators who favor the provision
already quoted in the pending resolu-
tlonS believe in sending a minimum of
American troops to Europe or none at
all. Any way you look at it, the question
Dolls down to support of or opposition to
carrying out in full the pledges made in
the North Atlantic Treaty, in militarily
wise manner.