The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-01-09
LostAes Quickly By Ordering aAcdon Times Lost Ad Main 1851
Roake Carter
Says:
psnnine Lindbereh
Useful Service
Laugh al lckes


The lambasting that Colonel
Lindbergh has received from some
of his own countrymen for accept
Ing medal from the German gov
eminent is a good example of the
injustice wrought when the facts
are not known.
The panning Lindbergh was
given by Harold (Honkl Ickes was
the most unjustified Of all. since
it was delivered by a cabinet min
lister in the United States govern
ment.
Actually Lindbergh has been
and was, at the time Of the medal
episode working gratis for the
United States government.
At the express request Of the
United States ambassador To Lon
don, Lindbergh covered Russia and
Germany, to gather what informa-
ton he could on the military air
strength of both nations.
So good a job did he perform
that the information he turned
over 10 the United States embassy
in London. as we'll as to the Brit
ish government. was more &C
curate and more detailed than the
reports turned in by the intel
lisence officers Of both United
States and British governments.
During the Munich crisis Lind
bergh worked day and night for
four consecutive hour
periods, with hut snatches of sleep
shutting back and forth be-
tween the embassy and the British
war office, answering all ques-
tions put to him and giving freely
of his admittedly first-elass tech
nical knowledge.
The medal was part of the bust
ness. He kept on friendly terms
with the German authorities for
the express purpose of being able
to learn as much as he could. Had
he been blunt, sarcastic and
sour-puss. he would have de-
stroyet his own usefulness and
been unable to gather one-tenth
of the information he did turn over
to the United States embassy.
This column has Panned Lind
bergh on several occasions be
cause Of his anti-publicity mania.
But II also believes in giving credit
where credit is due II is not
Interested In whether he did or
lid not receive medal from the
German government The fact
that he was Of his own free will
giving of his time and energy TO
serve his country when his eoun-
try's ambassador called upon him.
S enough. And in justice to Lind
bergh. whether one likes him or
not, his service deserves thanks
and not rotten apples.
There will be no war in Europe
unless England becomes con-
WINGED the United States, led by
Franklin Roosevelt, is actually pre-
pared to wage an economic war
with Germany. Such a step, the
British government feels, would
automatically lead 70 actual fight
ing sooner or later Furthermore,
once the United States has broken
relations with Germany for no ap-
parent reason except = words,
words and more words the Brit
ish feel that the United states VIII
have placed herself far enough out
on the limb TO be unable to crawl
back and therefore. blame for sub
sequent fighting could be placed
definitely on the Roosevelt door
step.
II. however, the United States
takes no steps which would en-
courage England to enter war
with an absolute guarantee that
she would be supported by millions
of able-bodied Americans again,
Englands policy will probably
trend toward trade and CONNER
cial treaties with Germany.
The various outbursts of Harold
Ickes on foreign affairs give the
statesmen of Europe some hearty
outlaws. When Ickes was abroad
-
this summer-on his honeymoon
he talked so much that he talked
himself into revealing how little
he knows of foreign affairs.
Every time he opens up, the
state department has heart failure.
Quiet pleas have gone 10 MI.
Roosevelt to have Ickes talk on
anything but foreign matters.
Roosevelt has turned deaf ear
10 all entreaties. And so Ickes
keeps on stirring UP the pot Of
popular hysteria with his handy
spoon Of abysmsl ignorance.
And relations between Germany
and the United states grow worse
because Of words. No interests Of
ours are threatened No invasion
has been limited. Americans still
wish to stay quite in peace, away
from Europe. They all condemn
the prosecutions of Hitler. But
the straining of relations come
fror, the dangerous Clap-trap