Evening star., 1940-12-30
'Mightier Effort
Called For 10 Win
Fight Against Axis
Chief Executive Pledges
Nc Expeditionory Force
Will Be Sent Abroad

6Lt OF FTgStUeHL hOOSeUeb
rcd,o speech on national defense
last night:
This is not a fireside chat on
war. 1t is a talk on national
security; because the nub of the
whole purpose of your President
Is to keep you now, and your
children later, and your grand
children much later, out of a last
ditch war for the preservation OF
American independence and all
of the things that American in
dependence means to you and 70
me and to ours.
Tonight, in the presence OF a
world crisis, my mind goes back
eight years ago to night in the
midst of a domestic crisis. 1t
was a time when the wheels OF
American industry were grinding
to a full stop, when the whole
banking system of our country
had ceased to function.
I well remember that while
sat in my study in the White
House, preparing to talk with the
people OF the United States, hao
before my eyes the picture OF all
those Americans with whom was
talking. I saw the workmen IN
the mills, the mines, the fac
tories; the girl behind the coun-
ter. the small shopkeeper, the
farmer doing his spring plowing'
the widows and the old men Won
dering about their lifes savings.
7 tried to convey to the great
mass O. American people what
the banking crisis meant 10
them in their daily lives.
Tonight I want to do the same
thing, with the same people, IN
this new crisis which faces
America.
We met the issue of 1888 with
courage and realism.
We face this new crisis-thls
new threat to the security OF our
Nation-with the same courage
and realism.
Never Such Danger for Aner'ca
Since Plymouth Rock.
Never before since jamestown
and Plymouth Rock has our
American civilization been IN
such danger as now.
For, on September 81, 1910, by
an agreement signed in Berlin
three powerful nations. two in
Europe and one in Asia, joined
themselves together in the threat
that if the United States inter-
fered with or blocked the expan-
sion program of these three ma
tions-a program aimed at Worlo
control-they would unite in ultl-
mate action against the United
States.
The Nazi masters of Germany
have made it clear that they
intend not only to dominate all
life and thought in their own
country, but also to enslave the
whole of Europe, and then TO
use the resources of Europe TO
dominate the rest of the world.
Three weeks ago their leader
stated, There are two worlds
that stand opposed to each other"
Then in defiant reply to his
opponents, he said this: "Others
are correct when they say: With
this world we cannot ever recon-
cile ourselves .*- I can beat any
other power in the world so
said the leader of the Nazls.
Axis Says There Can Be
No Peace Between Us.
In other words. tie axis not
merely admits but proclail2S that
there can be no ultimate peace
between their philosophy Of gov
ernment and our philosophy OF
government.
In view of the nature OF tins
undeniable threat, it can be as
serted. properly and categorlcally'
that the United States has no
right or reason to encourage
talk of peace, until the day shall
come when there is a clear lnten-
ton on the part of the aggressor
nations to abandon all thought
of dominating or conquering the
world.
At this moment, the forces OF
the states that are leagued
against ali peoples who live in
freedom, are being held away
from our shores. The Germans
and italians are being blocked
on the other side Of the Atlantic
bv the British and by the Greeks
and by thousands of soldiers ana
sailors who were able to escape
from subjugated countries. The
Japanese are being engaged IN
Asia by the Chinese in another
great defense.
In the Pacific is our fleet.
Some of our people like to
believe that wars in Europe and
in Asia are of no concern to us.
But it is a matter of most vital
concern to us that European and
Asiatic war-makers should not
gain control of the oceans which
lead to this hemisphere.
1--WE Would Be Living
At Point of Gun"
One hundred and seventeen
years ago the Monroe Doctrine
was conceived by our Govern
ment as a measure OF defense in
the face of a threat against this
hemisphere by an alliance in
Continental Europe. Thereafter,
we stood on guard in the Atlantic,
with the British as neighbors.
There was no treaty. There was
no "unWritten agreement.
Yet, there was the feeling.
proven correct by history, that
we as neighbors could settle any
disputes in peaceful fashion. The
fact is that during the whole OF
this time the Western Heml-
sphere has remained free from
aggression from Europe Or from
Asia.
Does any one seriously believe
that we need to fear attack while
a free Britain remains our most
powerful naval neighbor in The
Atlantic? Does any one seriously
believe, on the other hand, that