The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1940-06-27

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OF the United States said: Let nc
one imagine that the Western Henri
sphere will not be attacked. There is
10 escape through mere isolation or
neutrality"
President Roosevelt from this state
ment would seem to have his finger
on the pulse OF what was about to
happen in Europe.
We do not give the President credit
nor blame for figuring out the Eu-
ropean situation completely and
knowing how the war would be fought
and the outcome in each country on
the continent. But he Toes seem to
nave had his feet on the ground and
his eyes peeled to the future.
II the administration has known for
three years what was about to happen
then it is guilty of criminal negligence
in not informing the American public
OF curse the fact that the public
would have Immediately set up a cry
of "war-mongering" could have had
something to do with the silence of the
administration If 1t did know what
was going to happen. 1t would not
ave been the ~expedient thing to do
politically.
Can you imagine the howl that
would have gone up ever nine months
ago from the American public If Cong
ress was even considering passing a
bill calling for billions for American
defense?
Reardless Of how we'll or how lit
tie Washington has ever been inform
ed on the armed might in Europe it
now becomes apparent that this coun-
try has walked up to the necessity of
absolute preparedness for America
If we had starting arming three
years ago the chances are our faciii-
ties for production would by now be
geared to efficiency. But the chances
are, also, that our planes, tanks, etc.
would now be obsolete. Only in the
past few weeks have our high ranking
army and navy officials. changed
their minds about mechanical armies.
Up until these past few months the
use of planes nae been questioned and
parachute troops had been laughed at.
Hitler's army has shown the world
new tachtics, strategy, a more terrible
warfare than nan has ever waged
before.
The war machine America Is build
ing must be prepared to wage the
same kind Of warfare. If it takes fir
ing all the older officers who are
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changes in modern methods then
these officers should be replaced with
younger men at once.
Congressman guilty OF resorting to
red tape should not be tolerated by an
indignant American people. Nothing
should be allowed to stand in the way
of our becoming prepared for the de-
Tense of this country, least of all poll
ticians who consider their political
careers before the needs OF heir
country.
The billions which are going to be
spent in the next few years are moth
ing but buying insurance against
fighting Hitler for our trade rights
an South America n elsewhere on
some future date.
We believe that President Roosevelt
in saying the western hemGiS phere
could not escape attack by isolation
and neutrality was speaking of an &C.
onomic war for trade rather than an
armed conflict. 1t may be both.
The two go hand and hand; When
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who tries to wrest from her the right
of free trade we believe that America
will be a nation to fight. She is
getting ready now for that fight now
How soon that day is coming we
cannot know. 1t will depend upon
the end of the fight with England.
When Hitler finishes with England
n is master of Europe we believe he
will be ready to stop fighting with
guns and start laying the ground for
Germany's economic security and
superiority.
The only way America can dc bush
ness with Hitler it to have something
to compel him to respect our rights.
Hitler respects only might.
About once a year we look through
the files of this paper to see what
progress, if any, we are making. We
do not live in the past but in the,
reality of the present and hope for
the future.
We found that three years ago this
month the name of this column was
changed from KNOCK, Knock" to
what it is now called; that we were
talking about the need of Durant
for a new postoftice and school build
ing; the completion of the Holmes
County State Park, and a new road
from Durant to Lexington.
Today our postoffice is being built
and we have a schoolhouse project
approved. Maybe within a couple of
years the schoolhouse will be built.
The road to Lexington is being black
topped n at the rate they are going
now viii be completed maybe in al