Evening star., 1939-04-15
Facing the Facts

NS"VS3 wv NSAS
The Presidents Pan-American Day
address, to which even the most
rugged isolationist can hardly take
open exception, mirrors the high
quality of Mr. Roosevelts statesman
ship as clearly as the remarks of
some of his senatorial critics on the
preceding day reflect their unwill-
ingness or inability to face the facts
Of international life.
When the President pledged this
Nations economic and military sup
port to any country of the Western
Hemisphere threatened by foreign
aggression he was merely restating
a fundamental of our foreign policy.
But Mr.. Roosevelt did not stop there.
In the course of his address-which
was heard throughout the world-he
outlined the factors which have en-
abled the Americas to develop with
the minimum of friction a degree of
friendly cooperation in the solving
OF mutual problems which has not
been approached in Europe and Asia.
His essential thesis in this re-
spect was that there can be peace
where there is will to have
peace. That was the message he
sought to convey to the people of
Germany and Italy when he said:
There is no fatality which forces
the Old World towards new catastro-
phe. Men are not prisoners of
fate, but only prisoners of their own
minds. They have within themselves
the power to become free at any
moment"
The mere fact that the President
felt impelled to appeal directly to
the people Of Europe carries a
significance that should not be lost
on even the most irreconcilable crit
les of his foreign policy.
There can be no doubt that the
inhabitants of the totalitarian states
have little knowledge Of the real fac
tors which are leading them peril
ously close to war. The information
that is permitted to reach them is
carefully censored by their rulers
and it is only through the medium
OF short wave radio broadcasts and
smuggled newspapers that they have
any access to other points of view.
1t follows that the President is to
be commended for having the cour-
age to speak frankly on matters of
international import to the peoples
OF other countries as well as our
own. He has done 50 in the past
and 1t is to be hoped he will con-
tinue to do So
Contrasted to his willingness to
face the facts and help others to do
so is the ostrich-like attitude of some
Senators, who would, if given their
way, deny the President the right to
speak frankly on matters of world
concern, despite the fact that pri-
mary responsibility for the conduct
of foreign affairs rests with him and
not the Senate. This attitude is
reflected by the Bridges resolution
which would have the Senate con-
denim "inflammatory statements" by
the President, the Senate, of course,
to judge what is inflammatory and
what is not.
This position, taken by certain
members of the Senate, the greatest
deliberative body in the world" is
little short Of an attempt to impose
gag rule on the President. And
it is entirely within the realm of
possibility that these critics are mo-
tivated by petty domestic political
considerations, rather than a gen.
uine desire to promote Americas real
best interests at home and abroad.
This narrow strategy need not be
taken too seriously, however, for it
is safe assumption that the Ameri-
can people will prefer to have the
President continue to state the case
as he sees it, letting the chips fall
where they may.