The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-06-27
ISAIAH 1935-1940


For long this writer has insisted
that Mussolini is a mess and re-
Gently predicted his June 10 rafting
and called it "stab in the back of
France" We have all finally awak-
ened to our own miserably made
quate defense and the pitiful de-
fenselessness of the allies. But all
that is no excuse for Topping around
like beheaded hen. The admin
istration should have made it clear
much earlier and more calmly. 1t
knew but, for political reasons, was
not frank.
The very first issue of this col
urnn, March Is, 1885, now reads like
the Prophet Isaiah. 1t discussed the
dumb inactivity of the allies, dis
cussed what Hitler was preparing
in rearmament with his excellent
industries, and said in part:
''Today the French army with its
allies could march from one end of
Europe to the other-but not after
the Germans rearm with modern
equipment. Fully equipped, they
would be military nation far SUI
perior to the French and on no
provocation at all could bring down
on the world new 1914 or worse
This mad move of Hitler's
starts catastrophe on the way
he stops at nothing-ethics, mercy
or humanity-and he certainly would
not be stopped by political bound
airy or so slight consideration as
the peace of the world With
the vim, vigor and vivacity of
man whose house is threatened by
a vast conf1agration we should i'm
mediately -. provide for the mo-
bilization of our wealth, property
and industry as well as our man.
power"
That was written five years ago.
Although the disastrous future
was then that clear and that avoid
able, we and the allies did little.
Since 1888, when this writer
helped to persuade congress to au-
thorize ample funds to mechanic
and motorize the army, he has been
clamoring-many times every year
about our complete military i'm
potency in modern land and air
weapons and trying to dramatic the
now bloodily proved helplessness of
troops who do not have them against
those who have.
With this in view, more than four
years later, while the allies, bluffing
on the bob-tailed flush Of their SIM
liar defaults in defense, sought to
prevent Hitler from retaking the
German City of Danzig and the Po-
lish Corridor from the dictatorship
of Poland, this writer predicted the
effect of the Russian development
and accurately (within 36 hours)
that Hitler would march.
On this reasoning it said, among
several other times, on August %,
1889, &c. if our peace and per-
haps our fate are to be decided on
this craftsmanship of Britain and
France we certainly are in a
hell offix :. Let's run our own
policy and not turn it over to Mr..
Chamberlain We are not re-
motely prepared for war and neither
is England or France. Hitler is. If
we assent to or engage in a fight,
let's choose an occasion which con-
Germs us and a time at which we
have at least Chinaman's chance"
RIGHT MEN IN RIGHT PLACE
BOSTON, MASS. - In the new
blitzkrieg world every other demo-
cratic country can change its lead
ership as often as it thinks advis-
able. This is necessity of democ-
racy at war that we have never be-
fore felt. When we elect Presi-
dent we install crew. They are in
for four years. Nothing short of a
revolution or catastrophe can get
them out. We may have elected
them for one purpose, and another
may appear. If it does, we have
no escape.
We are faced with exactly that
kind of situation now. We are, at
least, on the second bounce, up
against as serious a situation as
England and France. Our problem
is to select a leader. Whether we
like it or not, we must do it this
year and it may be the critical year
in the affairs of the whole world.
The present crowd of business in
competents couldn't be equalled by
sitting the whole nation for inepti-
tude for the task.
We have chance to protect our
selves only once in four years and
this Is the time.