Evening star., 1939-01-25

ana Cll6 duIllAll- Es$$a*$3a 3a$ Il
istration is n,v,a 1.wr.n..
plainly unable
to answer without producing the
very international complications
which it is sought to avoid.
For a definition of American for
eign policy cannot be given, as the
President explained to his press
conference, in such explicit terms
as to fit every contingency. When
MIR. Roosevelt said that American
foreign policy was defined in l77o,
he meant, to be sure. that America
believes in human liberty and Will
do everything in her power to pro-
tect that doctrine whenever 1t may
be attacked and by whomever it
may be assaileG
This DOES not mean that the
United States will enter a foreign
war in defense of human liberty
when attacked in foreign lands. but
1t does mean that wherever Amerl-
can rights are invaded and the
invasion appears to involve further
danger to the liberties of the Amer
lean people themselves, this Will be
a basis for the operation OF our ma
tional defense instrumentalltles.
But what defense is adequate?
The military and naval experts feel
that in turbulent situation such
as the world faces today, with tech
nical improvements in the weapons
of war, the United States cannot
afford to lag behind. The opponents
Of the Presidents national defense
program are starting to build a
case on the ground that American
defenses are adequate for all de-
fense purposes within the realm OF
probability.
A distinction should be drawn
here between what might be called
the political and the non-political
groups. The Army and Navy ex-
perts look at national defense prob
lens in a practical, scientific way.
They are responsible for detailed
knowledge of what would be re-
'uuired If the United States became
entangled In world war. They
do not attempt to answer the ques-
ton of whether a war is or is not
likely in the next year or two or
five. They merely say that If war
comes, America must be ready with
certain weapons.
Through Different Glasses.
The political groups. on the other
hand, look at national defense
through several different kinds of
eyeglasses. First, is Mr.. Roosevelt
trying to use armament as means
of increasing employment and af-
fecting the domestic economy?
Second, Is the armament program
an excuse for continuing to unbal-
ance the budget? And third, can
the Nation afford the expense and
will lesser amount of national de-
tense be sufficient?
It Is apparent already that, ir-
respective of party lines, opposition
80 the proposed national defense
program comes from those who have
been fighting the New Deal the last
few years, and from we'll meaning
organizations which have always
fought increased expenditure for
armament as being itself a tempta-
ton to become embroiled in war.
Unquestionably, many letters are
being received by members of Con-
gress asking them to oppose the
armament program, and not a few
Of these come from certain groups
which feel friendlier to Nazi Ger
many than do the members of Con-
gress themselves. But the chief op-
position at the moment comes from
Republicans, some of whom shrewdly
assume, no doubt, that they will
mobilize certain elements in the
electorate Of German and italian
origin. Basically, the chief opposi-
ton Is, on the one hand, from those
who wish to block any Roosevelt
policy, and those who sincerely fear
that more spending will mean
heavier taxation and further OBJ
. struction to recovery instead OF
stimulus. In other words, the arma-
ment program is receiving some of
the backf1re that has been started
against further spending proclivities
here.
Government Best Informed.
On the general subject of ade-
quacy or inadequacy of the nationa
defense proposals, everybody is en-
titled to his own guess and inter.
probation. But the administration
possessed Of all the confidential data
as to what is happening abroad and
what Is being planned in Germany
Italy, Russia and Japan, cannot dt
any guessing. It has the COM
plete responsibility for the protec.
ton of the American people. Back
in 1915, President Wilson wen
across the continent to urge the
people in the Middle West to sup.
port what was then modest pro-
gram OF preparedness" This cor.
respondent accompanied him or
that trip. The idea Of American
participation In the war was ridi.
culed by audiences and observers
and the reception given the Presi.
dents speeches on this subject wal
cool, indeed. Even Mr.. Wilson, whc
tried In 1916 to keep the Nation out
OF war. found that Germany latel
interpreted our pacific-mindednes.
as justification for opening fire or
any American ship travelling the
Atlantic whether or not 1t had wal