The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1940-12-19
Giving Aid To Britain

ably than usual in her Summit Sun, sums
up pretty well the two major schools OF
thought on giving aid to Britain. We quote
"There are two major schools OF
thought concerning the matter of giving AID
to Britain. First, there are those who feel
that England represents all that is left OF
civilized thought in Europe and Americas
only protection from the wolves of Europe.
In this group will be found American peo-
pie with relatives in England; descendants
of English people; World War veterans who
feel that the first World War was not in
vain but for a sacred cause; idealistic young
men filled with horror over the ruthlessness
of the Axis powers; ministers and Christian
leaders who see in the advance of dictator
ships the advance of communism and utter
Godlessness; business men who see in the
advance of the totalitarian state complete
downfall of Americas own economic sys-
tenn; mothers who see in the advance of aid
to Britain a forlorn hope that their sons
will not be called to arms . !. that blOOdshed
and strife can be kept on European shores;
and countless others who see the issue along
these lines.
I'm the other school there are those
who honestly see no danger for America, re-
CARELESS of the outcome in Europe; those
who feel that, as Roger Babson puts it,
Hitler has laid the foundation for the great
est industrial boom the United States and
Canada have ever seen," and there is moth
ing in the future to fear; those who feel
that Europe's problems are peculiarly her
own, and nom of our business since they
are beyond our understanding or apprecia-
ton; those who feel that the Versailles
Treaty was unfair to Germany and that Hit
ler's conquering f~ootstep on the neck of small
and helpless nations was merely a taking
back of what already belonged to Germany;
those who feel that the entrance of America
into the first World War was a wasted and
needless sacrifice; World War veterans who
have not forgotten the resentment of French
and English soldiers who said, "Why did
you wait until the war was over to come
in?" World War veterans who have never
forgotten the lack of appreciation evidenced
by the Allied powers; men and women in
every walk of life who have not forgotten
that war debts were repudiated and that in
all likelihood, SO will these be; men and
women who have never forgotten that
America paid a dear price for her liberty
lTOm EIfSlduu duU WAUGH dSkdUcc HeT treat
ment Of present territorial possessions; those
who are descended from noble German
families, who feel that if all the truth were
told there would not be such a dark picture
of Germany and it's people in the minds of
American men and women.
Congress is going to have a tough
time deciding on what should be done. Shall
we give aid to England, knowing full well
that she does not respect her debts to US
but will take what we offer as her just due,
making us think she is fighting out battle?
Or shall we remind her of her conduct and
refuse the aid she so bitterly needs?"
It seems wise to us that America should
give England every bit of aid possible in
manufacturing machinery, equipment and
munitions as long as she can pay for them
and as long as that aid does not seriously
retard our own defense program.
We do not believe that England is in
need of financial aid from America yet and
will not be for at least two years. We are
of the opinion that she should honestly ex-
haust her own resources before she tries to
put the burden of payment for this war on
the American people. In the light of past
experience England will stoop to making us
pay for the war if we are gullible enough
to do so.
If England were at the end of her own
resources we might lend a more willing ear
to her expected request for credit. Until
she has reached her limit America should not
go completely hysterical on the war and
turn the country over to them.
But England still owns one-fifth of all