Evening star., 1940-10-30
Text of Kennedy Radio Address
Ambassador Calls for Presidents Reelection
As Man Best Fitted to Deal With Crisis

This represented a real victory
for the American people. Those
Of us who know the stuff of
which Churchill and the British
leaders are made, those of us
who know the courage and the
caliber of the officers and men
of the Royal Navy, can feel COM
pletely assured that surrender
ing the feet to Hitler is a thought
SO fantastic that 1t Is beyond the
basis of belief. We know that
under those circumstances the
feet will never be used for the
purposes of conquest of the ma
tions of the New World.
Again I repeat, there is no
valid argument for putting
America into war. We can be
strong, unprovocative, resolute,
fair with the democracies, hos
tile to the aggressors, and SYM
pathetic with the oppressed with
out bringing to our shores that
miserable thing that does moth
ing but destroy-war
But to do this we must be
strong. have heard a great deal
since I returned home about the
worry of a great many people
that the defense program Is
begging down" 1t Is particu-
larly unfortunate that this
charge has been injected into a
political campaign when national
teamwork Is necessary. 1t Is
charged that the President has
failed us in rearmament, de-
spite the fact that he has drafted,
regardless of affiliation the best
brains of the country to serve
the Nation.
Britain Itself Was Slow
And Shortsighted on Arming.
Unfortunately, it is true that
a democracy such as ours is diff
cult to rally when 1t is neither
desperate nor frightened. Eng
land had the same experience.
Even after 1t learned that Ger
many was "arming to the teeth"
England proceeded confidently,
but leisurely, to the task of get
ting prepared.
A study of this was made by
my son while he was in England.
His conclusions published in a
volume entitled why England
Slept" reveal that all the ele-
ments of Great Britain were
shortsighted in their failure to
appreciate the peril and to pre-
pare accordingly.
The very advantages which a
democracy has for the long run.
namely, fundamental vitality,
voluntary cooperation and
capacity for sustained and Cruel
ing, effort. become disadvantages
in the task of preparing for a
war that it thinks may never
happen.
If we now lack the crusading
effort for rearmament, and
hope we do not, 1t is certainly not
to be laid at the door of the
White House. The President has
provided a program and the Ma
tion's best specialists, and a
Democratic Congress has provid-
ed ample funds.
If blame there be, We all must
share in the inherent weakness Of
our democratic system where
force and propaganda have no
place, even in the vital job OF re-
arming.
II appear to take an unduly
pessimistic view of the world sit
uation, and, If as some of my
critics say, I am "steeped in
gloom" let me ask you, what is
there In the world picture that
gives any excuse for gaiety? A
large part of the productive ca
pacity of the world is devoted to
the cause Of killing; millions are
facing starvation: millions are
facing disease. Great peoples are
being sacrificed. The greatest war
machine in the history of man.
kind Is geared in high pitch Of
efficiency by every technique
that science could devise, serv-
ing in the cause of a man who
believes that war is a noble cause
and that world domination Is his
destiny. Gloom, under such cir
cumstances, Is nothing more
than facing the facts"
5000 British Planes Might
Have Guaranteed Peace.
The lessons Of this war are
ours for the taking. Machines
today are more important than
men. I have always been Of the
opinion that If Mr.. Chamberlain
had had 5000 first-line planes at
home when he conferred at
Munich, we would have truly seen
peace in our time" Already the
lessons have been learned. Peace
and goodwill on this hemisphere,
greater and still greater plane
production. A powerful and still
more powerful Navy, and train
ed. competent and larger Army
all are being translated into effec-
tive results by our national gov
ernment. In short, the country
must realize that 1t must get it
self in shape.
This administration has been
wise in bringing to Washington
experts from the field Of industry
to assist in the mobilization Of
this country to insure a lasting
peace. Modern warfare is not like
anything of the past. 1t is a
grinding clash of industries. To-
day war is the battle of produc-
tive systems. In modern war the
machine is the key. Infantry
manpower alone may be overcome
with shocking suddenness by the
streamlined implements of de-
struction.
We are informed today about
the new methods of warfare.
Various departments of our Gov
eminent have sent men to Eng
land. They are over there now in
order that they may learn from
bitter British experience how
peace can be assured for this Ma