Show MARQUIS CHILDS Congress Needs Prayer To Avoid Pitfalls of WASHINGTON If ever a congress needed praying for it itis itis itis is this congress If ever evera a congress needed the kind of humility which leads men to seek divine guidance it is this one In the welter of to day-to-day politics polities most members of congress congress con con- gress fail to see how long is the shadow of what they do or fail to do They do not understand understand understand under under- stand that the weight of Americas America's Americas America's Americas America's Amer Amer- ica's economic power is at this moment decisive in a precarious and uncertain world In dour old Herbert Spencers Spencer's dictum every act has its con con- sequence On June 17 1930 the congress passed public law It was better known as the Smoot-Hawley Smoot tariff act The Smoot-Hawley Smoot tariff act raised the tariff wall against the products of other nations In effect it slammed Americas America's door on the trade of the rest of the world It was passed over the prot protest st of a thousand political scientists economists experts and technicians who si signed ned a petition pointing out what Its consequences would be True Predictions Everything E they said and a great deal more came true You Youcan Youcan Youcan can trace the chain reaction reaction- the formation of a sterling trade bloc the collapse of the dubious economy of Germany and Austria the onset of the Nazi brutality and at the end global war There were other complicating factors But the match to the fuse may well have been that act The decisions the SOth congress congress congress con con- gress takes or fails to take can reach as far If they again ignore Americans American's economic supremacy supremacy supremacy su su- su- su then the consequences consequences' will be far more dire than those that came after 1930 Two vital decisions must be made by congress in the days immediately ahead While they are important in themselves they are also of the greatest significance as signposts marking marking marking mark mark- ing the way we intend to fol fol- fol- fol low The first is on the confirmation confirmation confirmation confirma confirma- tion of David E E. Lilienthal to tobe tobe tobe be chairman of the atomic energy commission If Lilienthal Lilienthal Lilienthal Lilien Lilien- thal Is rejected for reasons of ot prejudice intolerance and the power of special interests which will be the real reasons behind all the careful rationalization it will be a demonstration of failure in self government Itis It Itis Itis is a picture of America America all all all- powerful America cowering before a shadow Military Power The end may be In effect a confession that we do not in in- in trust this power to any but the military who look at it as their profession demands solely in terms of a weapon of tion This is to say nothing not of ot the direct effect on the whole atomic energy project which is slowing to a standstill The second dec decision sion Is on the budget If the cut Is too deep then we shall default on our re re- re It will come at atthe atthe atthe the expense of our armies of ot occupation in Japan and Ger Ger- many It may come out of the minimum of that President Truman has requested for relief to fill in the gap left by the ending of U N R R A. A It may even come out of the budget for national defense This last is a signpost the world will have no trouble in reading It will be unmistakably clear that we are arc not prepared to assume our responsibilities We will be turning our backs backson on the great void created by the liquidation of the British em em- pire These are the decisions The consequences can be almost as surely known as they were known by the thoughtful men who petitioned against the Hawley Shoot tariff At the end of the chain chain reaction this time will be World War III and an atomic chain that has no end We set aside weeks for this and that purpose some frIvolous frivolous olous some serious This might be a good time to designate a pray for congress week Copyright 1947 by United Features S Syndicate Inc |