The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-03
Editorial Comments
From Other Anqles
THE NEED is
New York Herald Tribune


New York Herald Tribune
Preparedness for defense is the first order Of
the day in this country. There is disagreement
as to methods. There is no disagreement as
to the fact.
But after preparedness, and indeed, along
with it, there is the need for frankness. We
urge this truth upon the press and public Of
America, and we urge it especially upon the
President. The time has come, in our judg-
ment, when every American is entitled to know
everything that it's administration knows about
world affairs and their threat to America.
We are quite aware of the circumstances
which compel secrecy by a government in its
foreign relations. A large part of diplomacy
simply cannot be conducted in the open. We
are equally appreciative of the restraints which
domestic politics imposes upon a political leader.
Much of the hesitation which the President has
shown in discussing the European situation
with the American people is understandable
and defensible.
What We insist upon is that the hour for re-
straint has passed. 1t has become the Presi.
dents duty, in our judgment, to place before
the American people the substance of the re-
ports which reach him from American repre-
sentatives in the field. After all, these diplo-
matte agents are the agents Of the nation. Why
should not the people be told what they believe
to be the truth of the present war and it's con-
sequences to the Western Hemisphere?
In our Judgment such candor by the Presi-
dent, so far from increasing the present hys-
terra among certain elements in the nation,
would go far to end it. The country has had
a rude awakening from its dream of isolation.
It is suffering chiefly from the shock there
from. Once the truth of the threat has been
accepted and understood and measures under.
taken to meet it, the sound nerves and cour-
ageous heart of the country will reassert them
selves. 1t is doubt and mystery which most
dismay-as the ingenious Herr Goebbels well
knows.
We are not thinking of the military facts Of
the war. No one can by logic and from facts
predict the future of so desperate a campaign.
We have expressed repeatedly our faith in the
staunchness Of Great Britain and France and
our belief that, for the long pull, the funda.
mentals of their situation, as Of their morale,
must prevail. We are looking chiefly to the
German threat in its full plan and scope. Miss
OoAoeiy 4llOhpSOu, y AdAlplS L lIOn
Europe with certain reports, which she believed
we'll founded, concerning nazi plans for a de-
feated France and a defeated England. De-
population played a large part in these reports.
The British Isles would be cleared of irreconcil-
ables, who would be sent to Canada; inhabit-
ants of the Channel provinces of France would
be replaced by Germans. These seem extreme
and unlikely rumors to the American who has
not fully awakened to the fact that the nazi
means what he says when he makes threats.
But in sight of what has been happening-in
Poland, for example-it is impossible to dismiss
them out Of hand. Has the administration any
concerning such reports?
The whole country knows by thia time that
the nazi menace is not confined to Europe. Its
plans reach overseas and stretch around the
world. Pursuit Of those plans is aided by every
trick and concealment that skilful propagand-
lists can conceive. How and when may those
plans touch America? What Information has
the administration as to the details of those
plans and how does it estimate the probabii.
ties and the time schedule? Such is the type of
which we conceive it to be the duty
OF Mr.. Roosevelt to place before his country.
men. They cannot too soon face the truth
calmly, with full knowledge of the facts. Their
innocence - like the innocence of every other
democratic people-has been vast. Now that
the incredible and the impossible are happening
on their horizon they need every factual aid
available to make their debate thorough, their
plans effective, and their vision clear.