The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-07-05
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DANGEROUS GESTURE

cans, Mr.. Knox and Mr.. Stimson
as secretaries Of navy and war re-
spectively, has poisonous signif-
canoe. They are both ardent TOM
tom heaters for war.
Mr.. Stimson has been raising his
voice for us to repeat the follies Of
1917 and 1918 in a steadily increas-
ing clamor until his most recent
blasts insisted on our conveying
contraband Of war to Britain and
opening our naval bases to the Brit
ish f1eet-both irretrievable acts Of
war.
Mr.. Knox has been preaching
armed Intervention for months. This
choice leaves no doubt whatever
about the Presidents own inten-
tons. If he is not stopped he is going
to take this country into bloody war
as soon as possible whether it wants
to 60 or not-and with about 85 per
cent majority, it doesn't want to 60.
Both men are leading citizens with
honorable and distinguished rec
ords. Mr.. Stimson was at one time
secretary Of war and at another,
secretary Of state. In neither posi-
ton did he leave any record that
would recommend him as a great
cabinet minister. As secretary Of
state he was ready to use force to
oppose Japan in Manchukuo, a
course which, however high-minded,
would have been fatal to the Amer
lean strategical position in the Far
East.
Both these gentlemen have served
as volunteer temporary army Of
ficers in time of war-Mr. Knox
in two wars. There can be nothing
but praise for that patriotic and
high-minded performance. But a
little knowledge is a dangerous
thing. Such temporary service in
relatively subordinate commands
sometimes-fortunately not fire.
quently--leaves the veteran with
the conviction that Providence real
ly intended him as a latter-day
Napoleon-or at least a master Of
strategy, logistics and tactics.
That is true in both these cases.
In both, this conviction has per-
suaded these gents that we should
commence firing tomorrow-before
we get guns to fire. That strategic
folly Is another danger Of this blitz-
krieg move.
Surely the President doesn't feel
the need of any such expert anna
teur military and naval advice. He
shares a similar conviction about
his own powers in these fields. It
was obviously not with any idea to
improve technical preparedness that
this move was made. It will have
a reverse effect. It is too clearly
a pure political gesture in an cleo
ton year--the "coalition-cabinet"
sickness that the White House has
denied intending. It is dangerous
gesture because it is designed to
destroy the third term tradition and
erect a war dictatorship by impair
ing our two-party system, which is
of the very essence Of American
democracy-and that is menacing
and sinister in the extreme.
Mr.. Stimson won't do the war de-
partment any good. It will take
| months to educate him in the COM
! p1etely changed condition since he
Leland his is the sort Of infiexible
| mind which does not filter fast.
This is cruel blow to the fine
work that has been done-especially
recently-by Louis Johnson in the Of
flee Of assistant secretary Of war.
Under a statutory mandate Mr..
Johnson's organization has done
much of the preparatory work nee
essary to rapid supply and industrial
mobilization. In its recent historical
| laundering to make up for its GRIM
inal neglect of preparedness, this
administration has simply ignored
| the valuable product of work and
planning-by-passed it and paral-
leled it. Now it has taken the tucker
out Of Mr.. Johnson's dynamic lead
ership and energy by kicking him
aside and giving him new boss
whom it will take weeks to educate.
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