Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-07-04
| Might Be
| Wrong--BUT
by P. G. Stromberg

Those who have followed the
Nazi program know how Hitler
has preached peace. Even now,
after his bloody conquests of
nine countries, he would have the
world believe that he desires
peace. All the while he has
been subjecting the citizens of
Germany to economic slavery in
order to build up the most
powerful and destructive mill
tary force the world has ever
known. Of course, if he were
able to conquer the world there'd
have to be peace. But what
peace! Peace from military
aggression but no peace from a
form of despotism and economic
slavery which would likely be
worse than war itself.
Many people wonder why we
should SO concern ourselves
about Hitler and his military
successes when we are so far
removed and still enjoy 'slife,
liberty and the pursuit Of happi-
ness" which is our heritage. 1t
is just that unfortunate apathy
and Indifference which has led
US to live in an atmosphere of
false security. It must be re-
membered that we are the rich
est nation the world has known
and bandits are actuated by the
richness of the loot. Make be-
lieve and trumped up claims
against us could be used as an
excuse for aggression. The
richness of the haul is sufficient
to permit pooling of the forces
OF the world bandits - Hitler,
Mussolini and their yellow
brethren. There is a complete
lack of the finer virtues of man
kind such as sympathy, right
eousness, mercy, honesty and
sincerity. Force through armed
might carrying with it mass
murder of men, women and chill
dren and destruction of every
thing material which civilization
has developed, is their only
motivating influence.
We are against Hitler and
everything he represents because
we have developed a form of
government which gives US
PEACE, LIBERTY and HAPPI-
NESS through application of the
virtues lacking in totalitarian
states. We are against him be-
cause he is a world outlaw who
holds himself above any earthly
power. We are against him
because we believe so completely
in Democracy. Rather than re-
linquish our ideals and submit
to dictator we will sacrifice all
we possess in a material way
and more-we will lay down our
lives = not for our brother =
but for our children and their
children that they might enjoy
the freedom handed down to us.
To do all this we must have
more than moral and physical
<drage. In days when military
aggression meant man against
man courage was often a decid-
ing factor, but courage won't
stop tanks and bombs and long
range guns. We must get ready
to meet German tanks with bigger
tanks and more to1sks-we must
build more airplanes than Hitler
can build and develop bombs
which will have more destructive
power than Hitler's bombs. We
must make long range guns that
will shoot farther than Hitler's
guns. When we've done this
and we must do it - then Hitler
and his brother demons will
salute us and let US remain at
peace because, like any other
bully, he will fight only when he
knows he can win.
| find it difficult at times to
realize that in 1910 we are
preaching war preparation when
1t seems such a short time since
The world was singing praises OF
disarmament. l find it difficult
70 believe that one man could
achieve so much power that ne
could upset the entire world. 1
md myself returning always to
PEACE. The big difference is
that now I insist that sOe main
.oan peace through armament
instead of disarmament. While
lind many who disagree with
me | cannot escape the convic-