The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1939-04-27
ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

ECONOMIC HIGFLIGHTS
Should the United States be q
military participant in the next
world war? To that question, going
by recent public opinion polls, the
American people answer No by a
tremendous majority.
Will the United States be militar-
lily involved in the next world war?
To that question, according to the
same polls, a small majority of our
citizens pessimistically answer Yes
There's no question in the public
mind as to who will be the partici-
pants in that threatened war-a war
that many experts believe will be
incredibly destructive and horrible.
On one side will be arrayed Ger
many and Italy. On the other will
be Great Britain and France, and a
number Of minor powers. At the be-
ginning, say the experts, the Axis
powers will have the edge, due to
their reported superiority in air
power. Then, if the war settles
down to slow conflict of attrition,
as did the last, the superior re-
sources of the democracies will grad
na1ly take command. The reader
will notice that Soviet Russia is not
mentioned here as a belligerent. She
Is the great question mark. Idealog-
1cally, she is a natural enemy of
the faScistS and nazis. But so far
she has not definitely responded
to suggestion that she pledge her
SELF to aid France and England, and
there Is belief in some informed
quarters that she hopes to stay out
OF the next war, so that, once peace |
comes again, she will dominate
Europe.
To go back to this country's part
In world affairs, it is apparent now
that-whether or not another AEF
Is ever sent to Europe-we are al
ready involved. The Administration
has gone about as far as 1t can
IN denouncing the dictator nations
without completely severing rela-
tons. (And In this regard, it should
be remembered that the u. s. Am
bassador to Germany has been re-
called and kept at home for some {
months, as has the German Ambas- I
sador to the u. S.) We have thrown g
the whole weight of our moral in (
fluence behind England and France. a
This Administration is strongly in i
ternationalist in character. It is @
said that the man who has most in il
fluence with the President in deter v
mining foreign affairs is Ambassa-
dor Built, who Is firm believer c
N the necessity of internationalism
On our part. I
The President has said, through I
MS spokesman in the congress, that
ne feels it necessary to change our 81
present neutrality law to allow him Ia.
% give the democracies immediate al
economic and material aid (such as
wheat. cotton, etc.) If IL
var comes. Opposing him are the m
solationists, led by Senators Borah, al
we, Clark and johnson, who feel d.
hat we should let Europe fight its tt
wn battles and 60 to its own ruin a,
Without running ourselves in the
'rocess. Against this argument is al
ne point often brought up by Adj st
a1nlstratton men, that victory in hi
EUROPE Of the Axis powers would cl
robably be at once followed by :
eally strong drive on South and
CENTRAL American which case this
alton would be open for the first
me In its history to territorial at
ack and potential conquest. With
ut debating the merits of any of
1ese arguments, it can be said that
ae Presidents position has an ex-
client chance to be made into law.
[any a conservative in House and
enate. as well as the New Deal
loo per centers" are behind it. in
ne belief that it presents the lesser
{ two evils.
It is a question, in the event of
'ar, whether or not we could aid
Re democracies economically with
ut aiding them eventually with
oops. Past history would seem to
nswer No. Every expert Is convinc-
that the next war will Sc Incl
ents affecting American citizens
r more important, say, than the