Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1940-12-31
By HUGH S. JOHNSON

BY HUGH S. JOHNSON
TT WOULD be easy to point
L out statements in the Presi-
dents fireside chat which were
disuniting, intolerant- and indie
feasible in logic. But it would be
as unwise to detract greatly
from its main purpose by doing
that. as it was for the speech
itself to detract from that pur-
pose by mixing it so easily
possible TO do so.
That purpose was TO goad our
almost unbelievably laggard
production.
Whether you believe that 1t
would be better to neglect our
own balanced defense by divert
ing TO another nation material
that could easily become vital,
or that we should provide our
selves with an effective Ameri-
can force under the American
flag. is not important so long
as we are not getting the pro-
duction to do either-much less
both.
WE CAN skip that for the
w moment because there is
no important disagreement that
regardless of that debate, we
must multiply our production.
Some observers say that this
Is because the country is not
sufficiently awake to its dangers.
These advisers see a remedy
in shrieking like banshees and
using all the hysteria producing
teH4-tens that ingenuity can
devise-eYen to the suggestion
that. 10 awaken this country, It
is necessary to get into bloody
war and kill a few thousand
Americans.
1t is absurd. Men who-tEaEef
the face of this country know
that there is no lack OF appre-
citation of danger.
TIVE people have been far
4 ahead of their leaders in
insisting on adequate armament.
in demanding vastly increased
appropriations and taxes and
peaee-time CONSUMPTION.
Our unofficial and official
guardians need not worry about
our people. They would do bet
ter to worry about themselves.
Other observers claim that our
trouble is disunity. This dag
nosis sees our timbers honey
combed with terInites-"spies,
fifth columnists. appeasers and
traitors" II they don't see these
actual vermin. they apply these
names to such neighbors as do
not happen to agree with their
defense formulas.
Some of these equally patriotic
citizens retaliate with war
monger, divided loyalist and
British stooge."
DLEADERS for unity" who
L demand that all contrary
opinion be villified. silenced and
even prosecuted, are the great
est disunionists.
For unity there must be great
leadership. just as there must be
great leadership for maximum
production. 1t is not leadership
for unity to threaten, heckle, be-
rate and question the patriotism.
brains or motives of follower
ship. Neither does our present
laggard production show con-
spicuous leadership.
A stark record of the dates
and amounts of this years ter
ribly belated defense appropria-
tions alone proves that they
were made in bewildered plan
lessness and forced piecemeal by
pressure from followership-not
from leadership.
THE record of the months be-
i tween to this very day shows
a similar bewilderment and lack
of decision, organization and
plan.
The running record of this mo-
ment certainly reveals absence
of another necessary element OF
leadership in this effort. There
is not enough life in it because it
lacks some kind of spark plug,
some inspirational juice. some
-ptii from above that shows men
the way and then carries them
over the top in perfectly united
effort.
You don't get that by driving
and coercing people. You get
il by inspiring them with conf
dence in leadership and enthusi-
asm for it.
ONE example was our first
" World War effort. Conscrip-
ton, questioned in 1917 as hate
full to American institutions, was
so well sold to our people that
universal eagerness for it en-
quilted this country in six weeks
time. One has only to compare
that about spontaneity of the
mobilization of industry in
World War I, with this torpid
stagnation to realize what is
lacking. Yes, that was in war
time. But there is an even bet