Evening star., 1938-12-12
Says Panama Canal
Cannot Be Defended
America Urged to Improve
Industrial and Military
Defense Units
To the Editor OF The Star:

Defense Units
To the Editor OF The Star:
The Star is disseminating rays Of
truth and some day, perhaps, the truth
shall make us free. Your correspondent,
Mr.. w. F. Wilmoth, made q valuable
contribution to the cause when he told
your readers that we were in no posi-
ton to use force to compel respect for
the Monroe Doctrine. Now our Secre-
tary Of War informs us that the Panama
Canal defenses need strengthening That,
too, is true, but 1t is a wonderful ex-
ample Of understatement. No provision,
naval or military, we can possibly make
can afford any reasonable assurance
that the canal will not be closed when
and If 1t becomes necessary to transfer
our fleet from one ocean to another to
prevent destruction OF our seaboard
cities. The security Of the canal became
a dream impossible Of realization with
the construction of the first airplane
carrier. Japan has its fleet of carriers,
and although the records show that
Germany has not one at present, we
may not rely upon that and must know
that she is building them today. Even
If an enemy were considerate enough
to supply us with advance information
OF the day and hour when a daylight
attack was to be made upon the canal,
the chances would be all in favor of the
passageway being blocked even though
the attacker lost every one of his planes
in the operation. The question would
never be Of possibility; 1t would be one
OF expediency. If 1t were worth while
the canal could be even destroyed. The
intactness of the canal may be reason
ably assured if we make its existence a
negligible element in our seaboard de-
fense. That can be done by creating
and maintaining another fleet, one for
each ocean. That proposal, we may be
sure, will follow Mr. Woodring's state
ment, and we should welcome it as a
sign of proper appreciation of present
conditions.
few weeks ago our President as
sured the world that we would uphold
the Monroe Doctrine. Now comes the
anti-climax. Argentina, largest of the
states we propose to defend, politely de-
clines to enter even into a defensive
alliance with us for the reason that
she has prior commitments with one of
those nations from whose attack we offer
to shield her! We may be absolutely
sure that Peru and Chile could truth
fully set up the same excuse.
Gradually, we shall be brought face
to face with the facts. Then we shall
learn that a countrys strength in war
ranks, pari passu, with her industrial
strength. Great Britain's decline as q
great power came from the abuses of
trade unionism. Now, the decline is
checked because better relations exist
in England between labor and its en-
ployers. Germany's strength lies in the
patriotism and self-immolation of her
workmen. For few months labor die
tators such as we know in America were
dominant in Italy and Germany. Die
tatorships resulted. Labor in France
and America has yet to learn it's lesson.
The worker in Sweden has mastered his
That country has Marxist labor leader
for prime minister and strong labor
majority in the Swedish Parliament. In
that country maximum work week law
of 461a hours permits freedom of con-
tract. In the building trades the work
hours average less than 40 per week
and the mechanic regrets that his hours
are not longer. When the premier, AL
bin Hanson, is asked why he does not
put through drastic labor legislation, he
points to Italy and Germany and says
that the Swede prefers a democracy to
dictatorship. He is the leader of his
party, but the prime minister of all
classes. He applies the maxim of Grover
Cleveland: "A President serves his party
best by never considering his party's in
terests" Hanson knows that his Social
ist-Labor party will prosper with his
country and that its very life depends
upon its moderation and patriotism.
We have an enemy within our gates"
who speaks with loud mouth Of the
rights of labor" but who is really labor S
worst enemy. If through some national
crisis such as an imminent threat of
war, we are emancipated from our pres
ent slavery to labor demagogues, our
freedom will be preserved only by real
izing that the independence of our law
makers is as necessary to our existence
as free people as is an independent
judiciary. 1t is only a spurious and a
shamelessly fraudulent democracy in
which it is permitted that Congressman
or Senator be coerced to vote contrary
to his own conscientious convictions. If
our country is to endure, our present evil
must be eliminated in the only way pos
sible: BY the creation by constitutional
amendment of one legislative body COM
posed of members whose tenure of office
will be limited only by age Legislators
need not be very wise, but they must be
free and independent. The question
raised here is inseparably interviewer
with the problem of national defense.
Legislation eXacted under duress has
brought us close to industrial ruin and
our capacity in a defensive war depends
absolutely upon our industrial strength.
HOWARD PITCHER OKIE.
December !.