Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-05-30
Il Might Be


NOT IN OUR lifetime has
there been a period comparable
to the present. In a month we
have changed completely re-
garding unlimited national de-
Tense. In that period even the
most outspolen isolationists
have fallen in line with the
popular demand for ornaments
second to none in the world.
While many of us feel keenly
the lack of foresight in the
past, it is heartening to realize
that this great country can act
with such unity as was evil
denced by the Senate vote in
granting emergency appropria-
tons asked by the President.
CASTING ASIDE politics and
supporting unanimously the
nations plan of defense the
Senate has set fine example
to the country as a whole. Only
through unity of purpose, unity
of action and unity of support
can our program of defense be
completed.
IN HIS ADDRESS to the
Congress, President Roosevelt
forcefully told the country that
our defense system needed inn
mediate rebuilding. The coun-
try responded and we are al
ready in the preliminary stages
of defense program that stag
gers Imagination. In his later
statements, including his Sire
side Chat" the President made
two very strong statements
and one weak one. His state
msnts that there should be no
defense millionaires" and "no
strikes" met universal acclaim.
But when he discussed the most
important phase of the entire
program, that of labor, he
talked as though we must ap-
proach labor with silk gloves
and coddle it in order to insure
its complete cooperation. Two
things regarding labor should be
considered. First, it is among
the ranks of labor that we have
always found the truest types
of patriotism, and it should be
and must be assumed that if
anything will hamper our efforts
it will not be labor. Secondly,
if it be shown that labor leaders
are using a national emergency
as means of individual
aggrandizement, then the whip
should be used without stint.
The only proper approach to our
defense effort is for ALL (CAPI-
TAI, LABOR AND PUBLIC
OFFICIALS, as well as the
general public) to be ready to
make any sacrifice for the coun-
try's good, thus to prove to the
world that a Democracy can act
with unity and speed when the
occasion demands unity and
speed.
IN THIS PERIOD of steadily
increasing patriotic fervor, it is
to be hoped that any indication
OF Fifth Column activity will be
lacking. But don't let this hope
blind us to the fact that we are
not immune. Rather can it be
supposed that our liberal laws
and natural tolerance have made
1t possible for aliens to be
among us in our daily contacts.
Any questionable activity or
statement should be reported.
IL would be better to intern ten
innocent men or women for a
Snort time than to allow one
4
traitor Fifth Columnist) to
roam freely, doing possible great
damage. This attitude should
not be carried to unwarranted
extremes resulting from hys-
terra, but a strong, patriotic
front can be maintained if every
man and woman will consider
the present emergency as an
outright challenge to our demo-
cratic institutions.
THE DEFENSE PROGRAM
VIII cost billions of dollars. I'm
.eSs we want to pass on to
iueure generations the cost of
our own mistakes we should pay
Inis bill as we go. 1t means
neavy additional taxes but we
sao better burden ourselves
financially in 1910 than to pass
vi TO the future burden which