The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-08-19

ipanics. OF course. we In Amer<ca Z
like TO speak our minds freely. bat
this does not mean that AZ =
critical period in history our presi- T
dent should cause bitterness and
confusion for the sake Of a little
political oratory.
~CoURTED A WAR"
The presidents attacks on for
eign powers have been useless and
dangerous. He has courted a war
for which the country Is hopelessly
unprepared-and which 10 empha-
tically does not want.
He has secreteiy meddled
In the affairs Of Europe, and
he has even unscrupulously
encouraged other countries To
hope for more help than we
are able 10 give.
Walk softly and carry a big
stick was the motto of Theodore
Roosevelt. II IL still good Amer
lean doctrine for 1910. Under the
present administration the country
has been placed In the false posi-
ftion of shouting insults and not
even beginning TO prepare to take
the consequences
But, while he has thus been
quick TO tell other nations
what they ought 10 do. Mr..
Roosevelt has been slow TO
take the American people into
his confidence.
He has hesitated 10 report
facts. to explain situations, or to
define realistic detectives. The
confusion In the nations mind has
been largely TO this lack of in
formation from the White House.
PLANS A CHANGE
AS president, plan TO reverse
both Of these policies. l should
threaten foreign governments only
when our country was threatened
by them and when i was ready
to act; and / should consider our
diplomacy as part of the peoples
business. concerning which they
were entitled to prompt and frank
reports TO the limit Of practic-
ability.
"Candor In these times In
the hope Of democracy. We
must not Kid ourselves any
longer. We must begin TO tell
ourselves the truth-right here
and right now.
I'VE have been sitting as spec
tators Of a great tragedy. The
action on the stage of history has
been relentless.
FRANCE AT FAULT
For instance. the French people
were just as brave and intelligent
as the Germans. Their armies
were considered the best In the
world. France and her allies won
the last war. They possessed all
the material resources they need
ed. They had wealth and re-
serves of credit all over the earth.
Yet the Germans crushed France
like an eggshell.
The reason Is now clear: The
fault lay with France herself.
France believed In the forms
of democracy and in the idea Of
freedom. But she failed to put
them to use. She forgot that
freedom must be dynamic, that
1t is forever in the process of
creating a new world. This was
the lesson that we of America
had taught to all countries.
SEEKS A LESSON
when the European democra-
cies lost that vision, they opened
the way to Hitler. While Germany
was building a great new produc-
tive plant, France became alb
sorbed In unfruitful political ad-
ventures and flimsy economy
theories, her government trying
desperately to cover the peoples
nakedness with a garment that
was not big enough.
THE free men of France
3 should have been weaving
themselves a big garment.
For, I'm trying 30 pull the small
one around themselves, they
tore Il TO pieces
And, In this tragedy, let us
find our lesson. The foreign policy
of the United States begins right
here in our own land. The first
task Of our country in its inter-
national affairs is to become 4
strong at home. We must regain
prosperity. restore the independ-
ence of our people, and protect our
defensive forces. II that is not
done promptly, we are in constant
danger. II that is done. no enemy
on earth dare attack us. l pro-
pose TO do II.
HAVE NO FEAR"
we must face a brutal. per-
haps. terrible fact. Our way
of life is in competition with Hit
ler's way Of life.
This competition IL not
merely one of ornaments It
IL q competition of energy
against energy production J.
INVICIRI X CCARI EFT Q,NEII