Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-11-29
AMERICANS MUST
FACE SQUARELY
DAYS. REALITIES

John H. Woosters ...... :. =.
Clayton Carey 17-year 80. :. 80.
MeSsrS. E. p. ...... 80. >.
The American people must face
squarely the realities of this day and
hour. They must ask themselves if
they can afford to permit the Brit
ish Commonwealth of Nations to be
defeated and the British fleet either
to be destroyed or added to the forces
of despotism which seeks to dominate
the world. This must be the subject
of frank and fearless discussion. We
have no doubt what the answer will
be. Defeat of Britain and her allies
would leave the United States alone,
confronted with a totalitarian world
which not only scorns our freedom
and is greedy for our wealth but would
not leave us free to maintain our way
of life and our institutions. Sooner
or later, with Britain defeated, war
inevitably would come to this hemis-
phere.
The war which Britain is now wag-
ing looms larger than a national is
sue for empire advantage; it is a
moral issue of world import to civili-
cation itself. The fate of human
freedom, freedom of thought, of re-
ligion, of individual initiative, is de-
pendent upon victory of Britain and
her allies.
To the appeasers who argue that
Britain and the United States could
make a peace with an aggressor in
control of his conquests, we reply
that this world cannot live four-fifths
slave and one-fifth free.
Also we say regretfully that no one
can guarantee that the United States
can avoid active military involve
ment. But one thing is certain; the
only chance of avoiding war is by
giving all material assistance to
Great Britain and her allies immed-
lately. That is the policy of this
committee. The aid must be suffi-
cient and speedy. It is now insuffi-
cient and slow.
In addition to previous suggestions
the committee urges the following
steps to increase aid to the Allies:
1. Aid to the Allies and American
defense, which are parts of the same
problem, can only be accomplished
by very greatly increased American
arms production. The battle for civil
lization and democracy may be won
or lost on the American assembly
line. To this end we will support the
President in the use of his full legal
powers under state of national
emergency if necessary, to mobilize
at once all the industrial resources
of the nation for maximum produc-
ton. Whatever executive authority
of the President must be used, what
ever additional authority from Con-
gress must be secured-all of these
should be modified for tremendous
industrial production for supplying
ourselves and the allies.
2. The life line between Great Brit
ain and the United States is the sea
route to the Western Hemisphere.
Under no circumstances must this
line be cut and the United States
must be prepared to maintain it. The
United States should supply Great
Britain with all possible merchant
vessels to fly the British flag. The
United States should produce boats
as rapidly as in the World War days,
for lease or rent to the British. A
shipping pool should be developed so
that American ships could operate in
the Indian and Pacific Oceans and
thus release Britain's shipping for
service in the Atlantic.
3. The time has come when Con-
gress should assume larger share of
responsibility, with the President,
for the policy of aid to the Allies.
Consequently, we favor through Con-
gressional action revision of our in
ternational policy. This would in
clude repeal or modification of re-
strictive statutes which hamper this