Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1939-01-13
Here And
There
By w. M. Smith

Ill SAAAAeAA
Father Chas. Coughlin, Detroit
priest, is hard man to get into
a corner. Especially when you dis
pute his facts, for the radio lee
turer has realized when talking to
the public over the radio your facts
must be invulnerable. His usually
are.
But when he voices an opinion
he becomes as vulnerable as any
one else who expresses an opinion
and becomes subject to attacks as
to it's truth and aptness to the
subject matter discussed.
Thus, when on last Sunday he
discussed the presidents address
to the congress there may be no
assailment of his quoted facts.
But in the statement of his Opin-
ion, which is his right, he may be
rOundly disagreed with and he was.
He said the American people are
intellectually behind the willing
ness to go to war in defense of
the country. He expresses an
opinion upon which there is almost
universal agreement, and the
further thought that our people
will agree to spend any amount
needed in such a warfare is well
within the limits of proven truth.
But when he states that our ex-
panse of ocean makes US immune
from attack from any foreign foe,
many think he is covering too much
territory. l think so myself.
When he says that the Amer
lean public, though willing to place
no limit to their spending on what
may be called just war, he is in
accord with much extended public
feeling. And while the priest will
not be flattered thereby, l should
like him to know agree fully.
When it is disclosed that Ger
many has 10000 planes fully
manned with expert pilots and is
adding to them at the rate of %
perfect ships each day, one may
begin to understand the jittery
feeling of Europe and especially of
Great Britain, which plans to evac-
uate London of its millions in case
of attack. 1t is clear those people
are convinced the fighting planes
of Germany are capable of all the
destructive power with which they
are credited.
And when it is remembered how
astOunded were the countries of the
world upon the release of these
facts the thought persists that we
do not know today but that among
those machines of death there may
be the plane that CAN span our
oceans.
So the presidents desire to be
fully prepared for such an even
tuality is quite understandable.
You may be sure there are many
who feel as does the president.
Both are able to discount the pos
sibility of graft as they consider
the horrible suffering, the MANNED,
the deaths that will surely fol-
low, to say nothing of the great
economic losses that will reach into
every home should enemies of the
republic reach us despite our ocean
protection.
Undoubtedly the presidents in
ternationahsm, subject of Father
Coughlin's most bitter criticism,
will gather a larger number who
will join fearfully with the priests
denunciations. Let America keel
free of foreign entanglements.
But even here there is room for
divided opinion. Should Oul
American patriotism blind us t.
the sufferings of the Jews, the par
titiOn of CzechOslavia, the crue
war in Spain, the unhOly invasion
of China, to the many injustice.
We know of in the world?
| Can we see these things and d,
nothing about them? Many people
say no!
You will tell me, my friends
that America cannot consistent,
|