The dual system of government in the United States provided for in the Constitution, the division. of powers between. the President and the Congress, was well illu strated by the two most important events of the Summer, These two events were the Atlantic meeting between Mr. Roosevelt and. Mr, Churchill and the narrow one vote majority by which the House agreed that the United States should continue to have an adequate army. At the very time the heads of the British and American Administrations! were in conference to: decide on increased efforts "to check Axis aggression Congress very" nearly passed" what would have amounted to.a: vote of no confidence inthe President and his Foreign' policy.
"The vote called attention to the fact that while the President as far as the outside world is concerned speaks for the United States he cannot speak for it in the same comprehensive way as ean'a Prime Minister under the Parliamentary system, 'The Ameri~ can system does not necessarily weaken a Presidential promise or proposal. in some circumstances it might even be considered an clement sot strength. 'The President has powers of his own' tinder' the Constitution Sistinet from those of Congress. He has a Wwell'defined and broad field of action in Which he can' choose his own course and proceed either with or without Congres-Hlonal approval. Congress could by -over= whelming majorities pass a resolution urging particular foreign policy but the President without in. anyway violating the Constitu-Von could continue to follow a contra polley provided he dia not stray beyond His constitutionally. assigned limits. tu for ign affairs the United States often speaks With two volees, and they are. often con-Yradletory, "From the, time of the signature of the Kellogg Pact to the outbreak of the; war for example the voice of the Administra~ tion was raised in favour of those nations which kept the principles of international law, while the voice of Congress declared that treaty breakers and treaty Keepers, aggrossers and. victims must. be treated alike, The President as the executive agent of Congress had to carry out its wishes but when confronted with matters which could dealt with under his own independent constitutional authority he could, follow an entirely different course, The outside world has frequently misunderstood the American system and has as a consequence been misled in its judgments of what could and could not be expected from the United States.
The eight point peace programnie, signed by President Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill charts a course for the future which the President can follow within, his own sphere of responsibility whatever Congress may do. The President cannot bind his successors but Administration foreign policy has "more chances of being carried on into a succeeding administration than Administration domestic policy. Any President must rely on his per-Imanent State Department officials and the Department has a corporate personality with fixed inclinations which any occupant of the White "House must heed. The interesting point therefore is whether the President has Committed himself (as distinct from having committed the United States) fo a more proising course than American Presidents in the ast, A tain Looking at recent world history from long range it might be said that its chief stabiliz—ing Influence has been the British Fleet and the knowledge that this powerful instrument would be used to back up British diplomacy. The British fleet, to use the American phrase, acted as world policeman. The United States, it has always been insisted in the past, should.
Tong been clear that the British alone could never act as: world policeman, But it has not and'should not bear the sole burden and responsibility for upholding international law and order. It made little difference to the Aeneral situation when part of the control over the British policeman was taken from London and lodged in Geneva. The active aid the United States was still needed to suppress International lawlessness, This active did has now been assured in so far as Pre~ sident Roosevelt himself is concerned and. there. is every reason for supposing it has: also been assured for his successors.
strictly limited assurance, confined to the President's powers alone, but these powers fare considerable and in the past they have only: been used to a very minor degree (0: full the function of what might be termed. policing the world.
'These Presidential commitments (it is important to, keep in mind the word Presidential and not speak of them as "American" com: mitments) are contained in Point, six and' Point eight.. In Point six the' President, with Mr, Churchill, expresses his hope to see tablished a peace which will afford to all nations the means of dwelling in safety within their own boundaries", In point, eight two elements which must be present if this. peace Is fo be established are stated. The world is suffering today from the' aggressive Aetions of certain nations. fore, "the Gisarmament of such nations is essential". But the disarmament of aggressor nations not presented as the sole requisite. Tt must be followed by "a wider and permanent system of general security". The President in offering this second suggestion i8 obviously hot presenting it as something which applies fo every country but the United States, The Toast he is promising is that the Presidential powers which he holds will be used in co-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.