The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-08-06

have" repeatedly declared it ur- gently necessary to build up the nations defenses.
 Ordinarily such combination of forces would ensure immediate approval. But these are not or dinary times.
 A momentous presidential cam paign is in the ofang and the small Senate isolationist clique, supported by an ubiquitous lobby, is using this fact literally to para lyze congressional action.
 Politicians have a mortal ter- TOT of taking stand on a con- troversial issue during an election no matter how strongly they be- lieve in it personally. This, IS thoroughly understood by the iso- lationists and their lobby janis saries, who are making full use of it to scare the politicos out of voting their convictions.
 STRANGE BED-FELLOWS
 The isolationist lobby consists of one of the wierdest collection of political bed-fellows ever seen in America. It includes Roose- velt-haters of both Republican and Democratic persuasion, plus pacifists, Bundists, Coughlnites, Communists, leftish labor ele- naents, and Fifth Columnists.
 It is these forces that are se- cretly behind the flood of mail about which the isolationist leaders like Vandenberg and Wheeler are making such an ado. A scrutiny of the letters shows clearly that the great ma jority of them are the result of organized prompting.
 This is demonstrated not only in the frequency and similarity of such expressions as "this will lead to war;" compulsory train ing is a step toward fascisn," but in other telltale ways. Thousands of the letters bear Germanic names. Others are from unmis- takable pacifist, Coughlinite and Communist sources. Others are from those CIO elements that take their cues from John L Lewis.
 Also highly significant is the fact that the only heavy recip- tents of this mail are the big shot isolationist senators. The average congressman Is getting relatively. few letters. But Van- denberg, Wheeler and others of their clique are getting them by the sackful.
 Obviously this is not coinci- dence. It is clearly a secretly directed activity, for the exrpess purpose of giving them the basis for a claim of public hostility that they can use to bugaboo Congress into inaction.
 DRAFT LOGIC
 One of the most vigorous foes of the compulsory training bill is bushy-haired. eloquent Dr.. Har- " Emerson Fosdick, pastor of the Rockefeller Riverside Church in New York.
 Testifying before the House Military Affairs Committee, the clergyman contended that no one should be compelled to bear arms in peacetime. This brought a quick rejoinder from square, jawed Representative Andy Edmiston of West Virginia.
 "Dr. Fosdick," he asked, eff someone socked you on the nose, would you hit him back?"
 The dignified preacher blinked at this realistic query, coughed several times and then suavely ob- served that he was a man of peace with no flair for flsticuffs.
 "All right" persisted Edmis- ton, "then suppose someone in- vaded your home with a gun. Do you think that would be suffi- cient provocation for the use of firearms in self defense?"
 sAbsoiutely not" replied Fos- dick stoutly. "The Bible well says that they who take the sword shall perish with the sword."
 "Yes, I know.r said Edmiston. I'm a great believer in the Bible myself and I think that is true. But I also think that he who hasn't got . sword in times like these 6 apt to perish also." U. 6. DIPLOMACY
 These are days of shrewd. stream-lined diplomacy when the dlctators appear to be missing no twlatre AFaosan nkl,ar tlxin0G fine