Evening star., 1940-09-01
Contrasts Big and
Little Americans
By OUen L. Scott.

contest between little Americans
and big Americans" - between those
who tclieve this Nation is adequate
unto itself and those who believe the
United States has role to play in he
world.
The little Americans" oppose 1oa-
scrption. They ridicule the thought
that the fate of Great Britain means
anything to the United States. They
oppose joining with Canada for The
defense of North America. They are
critical OF efforts to extend the activ-
tiles of this Nation to Latin America IN
order to oppose penetration of un-
friendly nations in that region. They
don't care whether Japan takes the
Philippines or the Malaysian sources
of American rubber and tin. Their
idea is that the fate of Australia and
New Zealand is no concern of ours.
Essentially, to the little Americans"
Ii makes SCant difference whether Adolf
Hitler or anybody else controls Europe
and runs the rest of the world as long
as the United States is able to- keep
marauders from its own shorelines and
its own borders.
The "big Americans" on the other
hand, favor CONSUMPTION. They are
convinced the downfall of Britain would
mean an end to the world as this coun-
try has known 1t. They believe the
United States will be forced to take
up the fight if Britain gives up or is
defeated. They see an opportunity 10
develop Latin America in the American
interest. They see no reason for let
ting Japan, or anybody else other than
the present owners, control the riches
of the Dutch East Indies and British
Malay States. They are unwilling to
see the Anglo-Saxon areas of Australia
and New Zealand fall under Japanese
or German control.
Essentially, the big Americans" see
that the stake of this war is sea control
and that the strength of America
through its history has resided in its
joint control of the seas with Britain.
If that control is lost so may be the
enviable position and the strength of
the United States. Instead of being
n ACiAlAAlollS "OA4O PO"CI ILLS SOQ1ltIy
could become a second-rate power.
This division of viewpoint is of vital
importance. 1t is represented on one
side by the isolationist group in Con-
gress and on the other side by President
Roosevelt and his followers. WencAil
Willkie, the Republican candidate. &
inclined to go along with Mr.. Roo52-
welt as a big American"
The isolationists. however, have an
appealing idea. The idea is that if the
United States will only mind, its own
business, the rest of the world will mind
its business and there will be prosperity
and peace and plenty for all. What the
isolationists do not point out to the
people is the fact that little America
of necessity, will be an America of big
Government and Of much internal
planning-far exceeding that of the
New Deal. The reason is that, if Hitler
wins in Europe, there no longer will
be the big British market and the big
European market to absorb the products
of cotton growers and wheat growers
and tobacco growers and industries.
Mr.. Roosevelt at one time went part
way along with the isolationist idea
His New Deal really was an experiment
in isolation. 1t was a modest expert
ment, however. and did not yield The
prosperity and contentment that was
sought. There is another vision and
another way that the President now
sees. The vision is that of continued
dominance by the United States-in
cooperation with other friendly ma
tions-over most of the sea area Of the
world. With that control would go
dominance over trade routes in this
hemisphere and in much of the Pa
cific-where protection of Australia and
New Zealand and of Malaysia is en-
visioned There is the opportunity for
the United States to become the really
great world power
Moves now being made fit into that
pattern of "big America"
Outposts are being acquired by lease
from Great Britain in the Caribbean
and on the mainland of South Amer
lea. This means that American sea
power Is ptlIlS III lIle
South Atlantic. Negotiations are under
way with South American nations for
air and naval bases in that area as a
further means of strengthening Amer
ican sea power.
In the north, the United States is
building what amounts to a defensive
alliance with Canada. A joint Board
of Defense now is functioning to plan
cooperative action in event of need.
Canada is expected to give this coun-
try the right to develop her naval oase
at Halifax and Britain will lease 10
the United States air base and naval
base facilities in Newfoundland. Facil-
tiles at Bermuda, off the American
mainland, likewise will be available to
this country
The situation in the Pacific is re-
garded as not far different. The United
States is strengthening her Alaskan
outpost. Hawaii already is very strong.
There is every indication that the great
British naval base at Singapore, pro-
tecting Australia and New Zealand as
we'll as the Dutch East Indies and
British Malay States, will be available
to the United States in event of trouble.
What obviously is taking place in
this development of the big American"
idea is a merging of British and Amer
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