The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-09-13
,M!99yaN6a,
Washington, ID. C.
APPEASEMENT MOVE

months one of the foremost appeas-
ers in Anglo-American circles was
the ebullient and able Joseph Pat
rick Kennedy, U. S. ambassador n
the court Of st. James's. Joe has
felt that if war continued, the pres
ent capitalistic system would crack;
that it would be better to accept q
semi-defeat now than lose all later.
Until recently, however, Ambas-
sador Kennedy has been pretty
much alone. Now, however, reports
have reached the war and navy de-
partments OF an appeasement move
inside high British financial circles
and inside the admiralty.
How far this appeasement atti-
tude prevails is almost impossible
to ascertain. However, the indis-
putable fact is that such reports
have been made officially, and here
Is the substance of what they con-
tain:
l. British naval officers, close up
to the war, heartsick over losing
vessels every day, struggling des-
perately to stave off invasion, are
wondering whether they are not, aft
err all, really fighting for the United
States; whether after the Battle Of
Britain is over, England, even if I'M
invaded, will not be helpless, leav-
ing the United States with her navy
intact ready to reap all the eco
nomic and strategic advantages of
the wars aftermath. %
2. Furthermore, even if Englauk3jo
able to prevent invasion this Tan,
British naval and military strH3e-
gists doubt very much whether the
United States will be willing to send
bombers and attack planes to her
help next spring when the fight will
begin all over again.
British Factories Damaged.
3. There has been much more
damage to British factories than tie
news indicates. And as this destruc-
ton daily mounts into millions, Brit
ish financial leaders figure it will
take years for Britain to rebuild her
economic empire. Meanwhile all
markets will be lost to the United
States. This is the sentiment which
prevailed among Dutch bankers and
which led to the surrender of Hol-
land
4. Furthermore, there have been
talks in Wall Street by Nazi business
emissaries which lead British bust
ness men to believe that the United
States may make a deal with Hitler.
So some British tycoons wonder
whether they should not do likewise,
perhaps even get there first.
S. Finally there has been some
] underground criticism of Prime
Minister Churchill for bartering
away British bases in the Western
hemisphere. But even more impor-
tant, the admiralty was very i'm
patient over the slowness in trans
ferring SO destroyers which the Brit
ish sea-dogs believe are of no value
to the United States and which spell
life or death for England. The fact
that these destroyers were delayed
when the British navy believes (and
Willkie has virtually said) that il
is fighting also for the safety of the
United States, has caused deep re-
sentiment in the admiralty.
Churchill Will Fight On.
To get the other side of the pic
ture, however, it should be noted
that none of this sentiment exists
in the mind of Churchill or any of
his cabinet. The Churchill govern
ment has made it clear In CONVEX
sations with the Roosevelt admins
tration that it is working toward
long-term cooperation with the
United States.
Furthermore it is probable that
about go per cent of the British pub
hc-perhaps even SO per CENTS de-
termined to see the war through to
the finish. They do not trust Hitler
and figure that any halfway peace
would only put them in the present
desperate plight of France.
WILLKIE AND PRESS
Gifted with a keen news sense
and not afraid to talk, Wendell Will
kie is popular with the reporters
covering him. Now and then, how
ever, he speaks is'mind regarding
something written about him.
Greeting one newsman, Willkie
barked, you've been writing some