Evening star., 1940-10-18
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ber and nickel and other commodi-
ties that our industries need.
The role of the United States
among the nations is not the settle
ment of boundary disputes or racial
disputes. 1t is not the maintenance
OF balance of power in Europe The
role of the United States-the peace
time role-is something far more
congenial to our people. 1t is to
create purchasing power and to raise
the standard of living, first for our
selves and as a result, for others.
That is the aim. When we fail in
that aim we weaken the democratic
world. During the past several years,
since Winston Churchill penned
those penetrating words, We have
failed utterly to achieve that aim
And we have seen a great part of the
democratic world collapse.
But, you say. all that is water over
the dam We may perhaps look for
ward to some future time, under
some future administration. when
America may have a chance to play
that peacetime role Today the
world is at war The New Deal-so
they SAYS necessary to the full
fillment of the wartime. not the
peacetime, role of the United States
But ask you: What role is this?
What is this role to which the New
Deal is so Indispensable?
Again We are speaking here in
the middle Of this continent And
as we look out across those oceans,
what do we find standing between
US and the decline of our kind of
trade and commerce?
What de we find standing between
our free enterprise and the totali-
tarianism method of production by
slavery?
What do we find standing between
our free institutions, which we cher
ish. and the barbaric philosophy of
slavery to the state?
We find Great Britain. We find
the heroic British people.
We find those people across the
Atlantic. We find them to the north
of us in Canada. We find them more
remotely, and in smaller numbers,
across the Pacific in Australia and
New Zealand.
AS we stand here looking out to
the east and to the west we find the
British people living on the rim Of
our freedom.
Reinforcement of the Rim"
Lies in Production.
So I ask again: What is the role
that we should play? What is this
role to which the New Deal says it
Is so Indispensable?
Is it that we should send an eXpe-
ditionary force over there? Is it
that we should join in foreign war
again? Is that the reason for the
provocative statements, the gratui-
tous insults, the whispers, the rumors
that keep coming out of Washing
ton?
I ask the question frankly. I ask
1t in dead earnest. Because you and
I know that we cannot play that
role We cannot send an expedi-
tionary force out to that rim. We
have no such force And even if we
had the force it would do no good.
It isn't what those people need. 1t
Isn't what they have asked for.
The reinforcement of that rim of
freedom can be accomplished in
one way, and only one way. 1t can
be accomplished only by production.
We must produce more, and more,
and more We must produce air.
planes. We must produce hundreds
of other things. That is our role.
That is the role that we must play
10 reinforce the rim.
But when we have reached that
resolution we uncover a terrible fact
It is a terrible fact. We have not
got those things to send to Britain.
We haven't even got them our
selves
And here is another terrible fact.
Here is the worst fact of all We
are not even making these things.
We are not helping the way we
ought to help, the way we must
help If we are not to be left ut
terly alone in this bloody and bar
barous world.
And why is this? Why are we
10 incapable of doing the very thing
We know we ought to do?
It is because, for the past five
years, this administration, which
knew, which could not help know
ing. what was happening in the
world. failed-utterly and complete
" failed-to grasp the real function
Of America in war-torn world.
This administration failed to see
failed most tragically to see-that
, the key to war, as we'll as the key
to peace, is American production.
have shown on many occasions
that this administration has been
aware of the need for adequate de-
fense for nearly five years. 1t said
80 in January, 1886.
Agencies of Production
Attacked by Politics.
But what was done about it? Our
agencies of production were abused,
attacked, smothered under wave
Of political propaganda. Our Navy
was not Quilt up. Our Army was
not modernized. Our arsenals were