Evening star., 1940-02-11

esident Roosevelt In three poses
hered on the lawn.
double pay. than 1t is to put on an
extra shift.
This means, In effect, that we
have not yet found the method of
spreading employment to more
people when good times come.
Peaks and Valleys
Not Yet Eliminated.
It means, too. that we have not
yet eliminated the terrific peaks
and valleys of production and con-
sumption. We have made definite
gains. We hope and believe that
we have found the way to prevent
a recurrence of the collapse from
the high point of 1929 to the low
point Of February, 1888. We have
not stopped the swing of the pendu-
lum but we believe we have greatly
circumscribed the width of that
swing from one extreme to the other.
Therefore, I suggest again that
On social and economic matters you
and are substantially in agreement
as to the objective but that there
are some of you who think that OBJ
jective can be gained overnight.
I don't. I do believe, however, that
all Of us can make definite strides
toward that objective if we retain
a government which believes in the
objectives Fundamentally and which
Is bent on working toward it as
fast as the people Of this country
as a whole will let us. That in the
long run is a reaffirmation of our
faith in democracy.
One final word Of warning: Do
not as group pass resolutions on
subjects which you have not thought
through and on which you cannot
possibly have complete knowledge.
This business Of passing resolutions
at Conventions of Patriotic Societies,
Chambers Of Commerce. Of Manufac-
turerS' Associations, Of Peace So-
stettes, Of Youth Congresses, is per-
fectly legitimate American habit,
just as 1t Is a fact that there
are many thousands of organ
nations for almost every con-
ceivabae objective which are kept
going unwittingly, in order that ex-
ecutive secretaries, legislative agents
and other officers may find so-called
useful employment. Hence the flood
Of lobbyists In Washington, Of spe-
cial counsel, of hired writer's, which
literally infests the halls Of the Con-
gress and the ante-rooms of all the
agencies Of the executive branch Of
the Government today And I am
not forgetting some of the visitors
who come to see the President him.
self.
Attacks Reasoning
On Finnish Loans.
have in mind the type of organ
ization which passes resolutions on
some matter of the utmost COM
plexity-in the field, for example. Of
national defense or international
reconnaissance situation on which
there may be not two opinions but
dozen, some situation on which the
policy Of the moment must be formed
by those who have given deep study
to every phase Of the problem. Such
decision ought not to be Influenced
by any gathering Of old or young,
local or national, which gets smat-
tering of the subject from two or
three speakers, who themselves have
but smattering of the necessary
knowledge.
One of the big local American
Youth Congress Councils, I am told.
took a decisive stand against the
granting of American loans to Fin
land-not on. the ground that we
ought to spend the money here
among our own needy unemployed,
but on the ground that such ac-
ton was IAN attempt to force Amer
lea into the imperialistic war" That
reasoning was unadulterated twad-
die, based perhaps on sincerity, but,
at the same time, on 80 per cent
ignorance of what they were talking
about.
I can say this to you with a smile
because many of you will recognize
the inherent wisdom and truth of
what am saying. Here Is a small
republic IN Northern Europe which,
without any question whatsoever,
wishes solely to maintain its own
territorial and governmental in
tegrity. Nobody with any pretense
at common sense believes that Fin
land had any ulterior designs on
the integrity Of the Soviet Union.
American Sympathy
SO Pct. With Firms.
That American sympathy is ninety
eight per cent with the Firms in
their effort to stave of invasion of
their own soil IS by now automatic.
That America wants to help them
by lending or giving money to them
to save their own lives is also axio-
matte by now. That the Soviet
Union would, because of this, de-
clare war on the United, States is
about the most absurd thought that
have ever heard advanced in the
fifty-eight years Of my life. That
we are going to war with the Soviet
Union is an equally silly thought
And, therefore, while + have not the
slightest objection in the world to
the passing Of futile resolutions by
conventions, do think that there
is room for improvement in COM
mon sense thinking and definite
room for improvement in the art Of
not passing resolutions concerning
things one knows very little about.
And SO I suggest that all Of you
smile and-dont do it again.
| More than 20 years ago, while
most Of you were very young chill
dren, I had the utmost sympathy
for the Russian people. In the early
days Of Communism I recognized
that many leaders in Russia were
| bringing education and better health