 Flanders met with President Roosevelt on several occasions . He felt that Roosevelt and his advisors did not heed Secretary of the Navy , Frank Knox ’ s warning that it was “ easily possible that hostilities would be initiated by a surprise attack upon the fleet or the Naval Base at Pearl Harbor . ” He further faulted the president for failing to recognize the growing threat of Communism in China . In Flanders ’ s opinion , he sold out on Mongolia , Nationalist China and Central Europe to Communist powers at the 1943 Tehran Conference . Flanders recognized the president ’ s political genius and leadership skills , but deplored his advocacy of raising taxes . He characterized the Roosevelt philosophy as one where re @-@ employment “ must come from Government — not private — action . ” Flanders felt that large social programs were an ineffective approach to solve national problems . 
