Imperial Valley press., 1940-05-17
FIFTY THOUSAND
MARPLANES FOR U. S.

president Roosevelt request fer an
american aerial armada Of $4,000 war
planes as compared TO scarcely more
than 5000 as of today was SO straight
to the mark it was almost a shock 10 this
democratic people. used To debate and
elaboration and accustomed To having
the way paved with hints and propagan
da before such things are proposed.
1t was SO fortnight that it must have
been shock, too, TO other nations, Whe-
Their friends or potential enemies. Il
was marvelously timed declaration in
favor of invincible defense strength.
Here is Americas chance To show the
world that democracy can move. and
move swiftly. to protect itself and its
hemisphere interests against potential
aggression.
Here is the opportunity to bury parti-
san pickering In favor Of a united ma
tional front against alien perils Of all
sorts
Not for Roosevelt. but for America,
let us build our aerial strength. our land
power. our sea defenseS. TO such a
strength that no one will dare challenge
them.
The man or group which attempts to
make of defense political issue should
be met with Immediate public disfaNor.
There are undoubtedly those who. be-
cause the President asked it. will oppose
the defense program he faVorS. They
should remember that the American Le
gion long ago proposed such q schedule.
They should remember that the Elks
lodge, farmer organizations, business
groups and almost everyone else but the
pink-tea radicals have long been urging
Just such a program as Roosevelt wants
There is no place for politics here.
\ Is il needed?
England is finding out NOM that the
program she never put into offect-unul
il was almost too late-WaS bitterly need
ed. Norway, Belgium, Holland, LuXem-
bourg, Czechoslovakia. Poland. Austria
they all found out that might wins,
whether it is right or not, unless right
is mighty too.
Call the roll of missing nations, and
you have your answer
Could it happen here?
A German victory in Europe would
mean an eastern hemisphere dominated
by Germany-by Germany looking west
ward to South America for new markets
and new opportunities. For Germany, to
look means to act. Give them a foothold
in South America and the United States
would be next. whether we like 1t or not.
We NEED NOT PLAN
TO FIGHT IN EUROPE
That we recognize the danger of Ger
man action in South America as an enter
ing wedge in this hemisphere does not
mean that we must 90 into Europe's
war to forestall such danger. OF all
things, that is the last we want. We still
believe, firmly and conscentiously, that
Europe's war is none of our affair. 1t
will never be any of our affair.
But if invasion came to this hemisphere
that would not be Europe's war. That
would be our war And for the sake of
our own freedom, We could not remain
inactive
We can prevent such invasion, we can
forestall such war, without going to Eu-
rope We can do it by making ourselves
so strong that there would be no doubt
left of our ability 10 defend successfully
and quickly the hemisphere in which our
freedom and our future lies
We are not equipped right now 10 de
fend even our own borders, much less
the other strongholds Of the western
hemisphere from which a successful at
tack on our nation could be launched. We
must be so equipped, if we want to avoid
war.