Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-11-15
GERMANS MUST
BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR CONDITIONS

with disease. The responsibility is
solely theirs for having conquered
and paralyzed and looted these coun-
tries, disrupted their economy and
appropriated their food-etuffs, de-
molished their processing machinery
and wrecked their system of distri-
button. American public opinion must
not be Unanswered into a position
where its sympathy for the conquered
countries of Europe can be used by
Germany falsely to fasten any of the
blame for this barbarism on Britain.
Furthermore, the American public
must be aware of. the danger that
their humanitarian instincts can be
used as a front for appeasement
propaganda. Let Germany come to the
world admitting her guilt and undo
ing the economic evils of her savage
pillage before she asks for help from
America.
In response to the heartbreaking
appeal for food for suffering Europe
this winter, one principle must be
laid down. Under no circumstances
should American public opinion urge
the British to weaken their blockade.
The blockade is one of Britain's weap-
ons for the final defeat of the ag-
gressors. AS such, it is a weapon
for American defense as well. The
blockade is a matter of military tao
tics and in this war England has a
right to ask and America to insist
that such tactics come first,
and must be continued until
the Germans have undone the
wrongs they have visited upon these
conquered peoples and have pledged
and fulfilled Their pledges to give
back the stolen food Germany has
taken as the booty of her ruthless
invasions.
In the second place, we must re-
alize that we are facing an entirely
different situation than in the last
war. Only in the final year of that
conflict and then only to a limited
degree did Germany attempt to force
conquered peoples to produce mater
ials for her support. Now under sys-
tematic enslavement and compulsion,
Germany is forcing the peoples of oc-
cupied and dominated countries to pro-
duce for her munitions, ships, planes
and other supplies. These will be used
in an effort to destroy England and
to threaten us.
We cannot afford to feed popu-
lations who are engaged in produc-
ing the means of threatening our
safety. And it will be extremely
difficult if not impossible to feed any
part of the populations which Germ
any controls without running the
risk of indirect diversions which will
have the effect of strengthening
Germany through those who must do
her bidding. For our own sakes and
the sakes of our wives and children
we should not take the risk.
Every ounce Of food that is sent
to the occupied areas not only re-
ieves the pressure on Germany, but
makes her better able to conscript
the populations of the dominated
areas for the production of war ma
terials.
Having announced these principles
and it's intention to stand by them,
the Committee to Defend America
by Aiding the Allies hopes that
Britain will take the initiative in
presenting plan that would clearly
fasten the blame and the burden for
Europe's hunger on Germany.
Winston Churchill has already pro-
posed that stocks of food be collected
and made ready for Europe when
freed. Furthermore, whenever the
British upon their own initiative, an
nounce exception to the rule of a
general blockade and indicate where
food or medical supplies safely can
be sent, the American people should
eagerly take advantage of such ex-
ceptions, providing the administration
of such relief can be made by Ameri-
can officials. There may be cases
where the psychological advantage of
permitting medical and food supplies
to parts of Europe would outweigh
any advantage which Germany might
receive. But today we believe that
Judgment of such a situation should
be entirely in the hands of the Brit
ish