THE PRESIDENCY: Signs of Progress

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The dog days ended with a crash in Washington last week. The President began moving forcefully, directly, and broadly—ordering activities ahead on many fronts, hammering powerfully through his own work-cluttered desk, speaking his mind with a new clarity and simplicity. As always, all Washington began moving, catching the rhythm from the stroke of the crew. All along the line were signs of progress. Many of the things done were things that should have been done once-upon-a-time—long, long ago. But the big fact was that, belated or not, these things were getting done now. The U.S. pondered: Better late than never—and silently digested the long list.

> To China the President sent a military mission headed by Brigadier General John Magruder, staffed by competent aides. Their task: to advise the Chinese, to learn the lessons of War II in the Far East.

> The President talked with Japanese Ambassador Nomura, received from him a note from Premier-Prince Konoye (see p. 10).

>The President accepted the Rosenman plan for reorganization of the defense management, put it into effect. The plan was the greatest single step forward yet in the defense program, and honestly represented the most possible reorganization, short of an earthquake (see p. 11).

> The President appointed W. Averell Harriman as chief of the U.S. mission to Moscow. The appointment was nothing special—the fact of the mission's getting under way was all important. Flying via Siberia, Alaska to Washington were two flying boats loaded with Soviet technicians, dignitaries, aides, prepared to set up the Washington end of aid-to-Russia.

> Out of the Senate Finance Committee, after four and a half months of argument and bogglement, came a pretty fair tax bill, geared to raise $3,672,400,000 of the $5,600,000,000 that should be raised now. But the bill's mere forward movement was a big sign of progress.

> The President nominated World War I Hero Artemus L. Gates as Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, filling a long-open hole (see p. 28).

> The Office of Civilian Defense announced that 6,700,000 pounds of pots-&-pans aluminum had already moved into defense production, enough to make about 1,825 fighting planes.

> The President recognized an organized campaign to spread ugly rumors through the U.S. about British misuse of Lend-Lease funds, called the stories dirty falsehoods, vicious lies (see p. 10).

Having done all this, the President, relaxed and happy, trained back to Hyde Park, made a little speech at the corny annual get-together of the Franklin Roosevelt Home Club, held each late summer for twelve years at the home of his tenant farmer, dignified old Moses L. Smith.

On Labor Day, Mr. Roosevelt really got in stride. Giving up his year-long attempt to compete with Winston Church ill in the manufacture of richly phrased, purple-worded dramatic addresses, he switched style, went back to his own earlier simplicity, clarity. Result was one of his best speeches this year, a powerful, moving, direct and candid effort. Ostensibly speaking to U.S. workmen on Labor Day, he told all the people:

"We shall do everything in our power to crush Hitler and his Nazi forces."