Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-22
Draft Is Essential,
Mrs. Roosevelt Says,
Hitting Propaganda
Preparedness Will Not
Lead U. S. Into War,
She Writes in Article

Declaring a selective draft "is es-
Sential to our country at this time"
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt. in the
current issue of the Democratic Di-
gest, published by the women's di-
vision of the Democratic National
Committee, expresses her belief that
talk about preparedness leading the
United States into war is part of
the subtle propaganda to which we
are being subjected by Hitler" The
wife of the President gave her views
on the draft in answer to a ques-
ton submitted by Mrs. Jeanette
Testu of Seattle. national commit
teewoman from Washington.
Il do believe that a selective
draft Is essential to our country at
this time" Mrs. Roosevelt says. In
the first place, L think it is more
democratic to register everyone
within a certain age limit and pick
those for military service because
of fitness. If we use only the volun-
teer method, the boys who are I'M
selfish enough to enlist will carry
the burden for those who are I'M
willing to make any sacrifice.
AN army today is not merely an
aggregation of men. The men must
be trained in mechanical skillS. This
takes time. The better the men are
trained, the more chance they have
of surviving. Many Of the boys Sc
lected will be taught skills which will
be of value to them in private en-
ployment.
Cites Will Of People.
II can see no danger that this
preparation will lead us into war. We
do not want anything which any
other country has, and after all, this
country cannot so to war unless the
people are willing. Congress has to
declare war, and Congress is very
responsive to the will of the ma
jority of our people.
I'VE cannot, on the other hand,
allow ourselves to be in a position
where any foreign power, believing
us to be unprepared, would attempt
to attack us. A strong defense and
a people united on defending our
can have.
i believe that the talk about our
preparedness leading us into war Is
part of the subtle propaganda to
which We are being subjected by
Hitler. I urge you all 10 think this
whole question through in the light
of what has happened in other
countries"
Americans who assert that de-
mocracy cannot be preserved, be-
cause it is not efficient, ARE falling
right in with Nazi propaganda, ;"
Mrs. Roosevelt said in answering a
question asked by Mrs. L. j. Lutgen
of Aberdeen, S. OAK, Can women
resist propaganda better than
mem"
Efforts to Learn Truth.
1T is not a question OF whether
women resist propaganda better
than men. because all women do
not think and react alike. any more
than all men do The vital thing
in this present world situation is
that men and women. young and
old, make every effort to know what
is true and what is false. We must
not become frightened or historical
over rumors. The propaganda to
which we are being subjected Is
very subtle. and some of it NAV
seem very plausible. We know from
the experience of other countries
that Hitler's chief weapon is prop
uganda which tends to divide a
country. No country is secure I'M
less its people are unified on funda-
mental issues. The fundamental
issue today is the preservation of
our democratic way of life.
Some of our citizens are saying
that democracy cannot be preserved
because it Is not efficient. When
they say this. whether they know
it or not, they are falling right in
with the Nazi propaganda. This is
the sort of attitude we must fight.
because if each and every citizen
of this country has the will, de-
mocracy can, and will be preserved"