Evening star., 1939-09-05
Beware Propaganda
To Embroi| u. s.,
Senator Walsh Warns
Forum Speaker Urges
Complete Neutrality
In Europe's Conflict

SSAluSoA AoN&AA i. w oAoAA VA AvAtaoo
achusetts, chairman of the Senate
Naval Affairs Committee, discussed
propaganda, Peace and Prepared
ness" last night in the National
Radio Forum, arranged by The Star
and broadcast over a Nation wide
network of the National Broadcast
ing Co. The text of his address
follows:
For months past have repeatedly
urged the absolute necessity for the
United States to maintain policy of
complete detachment from the dip
lomatic intrigues, military alliances
and war which recently have ha-
rassed practically every part of the
Old World. have alluded to our
experience in the World War where
IN we sent men and treasure to the
battlefelds of Europe in the ideal
istic belief, then loudly proclaimed,
that our intervention would estab-
lsh new world order based on
justice and democracy 1t is now
obvious that instead of promoting
peace the treaty written after that
war laid the groundwork for con-
stant discord and the present war.
In the many years I have been
member of the United States Senate.
I have never heard a Senator or
other public man defend its basic
justice.
We we're asked by the terms of
that treaty to join in preserving
In the language of the covenant
proposed, "the territorial integrity
and political independence" of vir-
llially the entire world. We agreed,
if our Nation gave its approval, to
lend our moral influence and under
some conditions, our physical sup
port. to sanction the continuation
of the political status quo, arbitrarily
set up by that treaty. not infre-
quently in contravention of histori-
cal and justifiah'e considerations.
Misjudsed Facts.
The trainers of that treaty mis-
calculated the facts. They failed
to realize the impossibility of sup
pressing for all time the aspirations
and deep-seated instincts of in
trinsically proud and ambitious peo-
piles, however debatable their con-
cept of justice.
Whether this analysis of the sit
uation is all inclusive or not, it is
an incontrovertible fact that our
people long ago positively deter
mined not to become embroiled in
the bitter strife proceeding con-
stantly from the territorial disputes
resulting from the Versailles treaty.
AS human beings and Americans,
we are imbued with deepest SYM
pathy for the masses of people
now confronted by the horrors of
war. We can well understand the
sentiments they harbor over the
terrifying prospects of the present
strife in Europe. How tragic and
how helpless is their plight. racing
with fear and trembling hostilities
that will destroy their homes, lay
waste their lands. visit innocent
non combatants with poverty, death
and the slaughter of their youth!
The man or woman would be indeed
unfeeling who is not profoundly
moved by the inhuman situation
in Europe.
We are prepared, I am sure, to
use every means at our disposal
short of involving our own Nation
to bring about amicable settlements
of the questions responsible for this
grave situation. In fact, the coun-
try has generally approved of the
overtures already made by President
Roosevelt to certain foreign powers
in the interest of peace and his ef-
forts to safeguard innocent women
and children.
Let me speak plainly to you, my
fellow countrymen. The non-in-
volvement of the United States in
the war now raging in Europe is
almost entirely within the control
of your Federal officials, the Presi-
dent, the State Department and the
Congress. They are the sole agen-
cies that can involve the country in
this war. We must cooperate with
them fundamentally so long as
their attitude is one of strict neu-
trality.
Opinion to Serve as Check.
We must. however, be on guard to
bring the full force of public opin-
ion against any position of an un-
neutral character that the executive
and legislative branches of our
Government assume I repeat,
whether we shall continue to enjoy
peace and keep American youths
out of this slaughter depends upon
the capacity of your public officials
to act regardless of their sympa-
thies. Is this impossible? Many be-
1eve because of our strong and
largely one-sided sympathies that
this is impossible. 1t is expressed
in the constantly reiterated phrase,
I'VE cannot keep out"
1t Is difficult to be master of
ones sympathies when they are
intense, as they are likely to be
and especially when ones sympa-
thies are eXhilarated by tales of
atrocities. When we read these
stories and remember that war is a
bestial game and let us become
more determined than ever to keep
our sons out of the savagery of war.
Our present position is obvious.
1t is clearly inundated by the will
OF practically all of our citizens.
Certain events are transpiring in
our country today which render it
increasingly difficult for us to retain
this much desired strict neutrality.
I refer to the very intensive propa-
ganda campaigns that will be
staged. This is not new for Amer
lea, nor surprising 1t has hap
pened before. 1t occurred before
and during the World War. It has
continued in relation to the uues-
tions of the foreign debts, the World
Court, and other European power
diplomacy objectives.
Between 1914 and 1917 the cam
paign to embroil us in war reached
its zenith. Recall, for they will now
be repeated, the atrocity stories,
terrifying in every detail, since