The midland journal., 1939-10-27
Bruckarf's Washington Digest
Bruckarfs Washington Digest
Public Sentiment Grows Insistent
To Keep Out Of European MIDDLE
Unmstakable Change Is Going Throughout the Coun-
try; People Make Known Their Feelings and Their
Thought Is Thoroughly Reflected in Congress.
BY WILLIAM BRUCKART
WNU Service National Press Bldg. Washington, d. G.

ss-ss fsse.
WASHINGTON.-While the Roose-
velt administration continues to sub
ordinate everything to the general
subject of the European war, there
has been an unmistakable change
in sentiment going on throughout the
country and in the capital city. 1t
Is inescapable to the merest tyro OF
an observer. It represents crystal
lization Of that foggy thing called
public sentiment.
The senate has debated the issue
of repeal of the arms embargo to the
fullest, but the debate has fallen
short of telling the whole truth.
There was an entire lack of any
truly great speeches. Much addi-
tional light has been thrown on the
whole question Of a neutrality poll
cy, yes; but I believe the senate
failed to do the job in way that
history will measure as statesman
like. The amazing fact is, there
fore, that public sentiment should
have solidified so definitely in such
a short time, with a verdict that
says: "We will stay out Of that Eu-
ropean mess; it is not ours, and we
will not play their game"
It is always difficult to describe
what takes place in the matter of
public sentiment, powerful as it is
in the United States. But it is easy
to describe the condition, the status,
of national thought as represented
by an overwhelming majority OF the
citizens. In the current case, it can
be told in two sentences. A few
weeks ago, the big shots of govern
ment were saying: possibly we
can keep out of war; the present
statement is that probably" we can
keep out of the war. It is a vital
difference.
The reason for this is obvious.
People have made known their feel
ings. They have made clear that
whatever else they may differ about,
they are determined and united on
the one proposition, namely, that we
must not get tangled up with Eu-
ropes power politics. Further, ex-
istence of this sentiment has been
thoroughly reflected in congress and
those who would willingly toss our
armies into the flame have begun to
get scared about their own hides.
Clark Takes Wallop at
Assistant Secretary of War
must qualify that statement that
all of the big shots have toned down
their remarks. Several continue
to shout in an infammatory way.
The best known of these is Louis
Johnson, assistant secretary of war.
1t is unnecessary for me to discuss
Johnson's unwise statements. ! can
quote a real authority, for Senator
Bennett Clark, the Missouri Demo-
crat, dealt quite fully with the assis-
tant secretray's utterances-espe-
cially that in which Mr.. johnson
said that "if the United States were
not fully prepared for war, it would
be overrun like Poland" Of that re-
mark, Senator Clark had this to say,
during the arms embargo debate
in the senate:
''In my judgment, no more idiotic,
moronic or unpatriotic remark ever
has been made by a man in high
public office
''This is the same Louis Johnson
who has been flying around the coun-
try in an army airplane for the last
several years, preaching the inevita-
bility of war and the certainty of
our being drawn in and drawing hor-
rifle pictures with grisly prophe-
cies of our shores being invaded and
our own land being laid waste"
But after Senator Clark had
streamlined the assistant secretary
of war, he proceeded to fall off into
the deepest water of demagoguery
by attacking President Roosevelt's
selection of members of the war
resources board. To make that ea-
gle scream in it's shrillest notes,
Senator Clark described it as a
'Morgan-duPont board" which, to
anyone who knows the facts, is a
rather silly statement.
With respect to the attack on Mr..
Johnson, / only wish that Senator
/. Clark had gone ahead with disclo-
sures so that the long-continued row
in the war department could have
had an airing.
Johnson Reported Seeking
job Of Secretary of War
It is no longer secret in Wash
ington that Mr.. johnson has been
trying for months to get the job of
secretary of war. He and Mr.. Wood
ring do not get along, and have not
for much Of the time the assistant
secretary has been on the job. The
result has been continual friction, a
handicapping of department policies
and general fear among army of
ficers. They are afraid they will
get tangled up in departmental poll
tics and every officer knows if he
guesses wrong, the chances of get
.-lA a.