"I Never Felt Worse"

The mood of Congress revealed itself not so much in formal speeches as in the cloakrooms, corridors and restaurants. The voices of the most influential legislators of both parties sounded these estimates and doubts:

A world war is possible at any hour. . .

This country is more poorly prepared than it was in 1941. We have delayed all-out mobilization. The Administration has fiddled with war preparations. The Munitions Board has fallen down in its job of stockpiling--we are short of wool and even of cotton.

The Defense Department is way behind on its military orders. The President has lagged on economic controls. (Said a member from Texas: "I never felt worse in my life. What in the name of God can we do?")

We picked a hell of a place to stand against aggression . . .

Now we have got to stand and fight. No two ways about that. If we pull out of Korea without being pushed out, then whatever prestige we had is gone. The French will collapse in Indo-China. India and Burma will go under. The French and the Germans will fold their hands in Western Europe.

Acheson is a weak sister. Truman is no international bargainer. We don't have much confidence in U.N. in this kind of a situation. (Said another member from Texas: "I can't conceive of a worse crisis.")

If the Reds drive south of the 38th parallel, then we ought to hit Manchurian industries, arsenals and power dams with conventional bombs. We ought to impose at once a blockade of the entire China coast and give extended aid to the Nationalists on Formosa. We are absolutely against any more concessions to Communism.

If Russia makes a diversionary drive into Iran, Turkey, Germany, then we should recognize the existence of World War III and proceed to atomize Russia . . .

We should use the atom bomb at our own discretion--not U.N.'s. Whenever the military says, "Drop it," the Senate and the House will support them. It is time we recognize where we stand now and where we stand for the future.

Congress does not write a foreign policy. But the temper of the nation's 531 lawmakers has a persuasive effect on the Administration. A grim Congress was almost fatalistically ready last week for an international showdown.

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