Evening star., 1940-05-23

SudA dlltCCll1S 1ICC SpCcCIl. LII
the exercise of that freedom,
which totalitarian government is
fast wiping out in Europe today,
Mr.. Charles A. Lindbergh went on
the air last Sunday night to urge
the American people to continue
to bury their heads in the sands
and give no thought toward that
shocking conflict now raging
across the waters and which
threatens the very fabric of
Christian and democratic civili-
cation the world over.
Mr.. Lindbergh's speech was an
nounced as a discussion of our
air defense. Like many other
Americans, l listened in anticipa-
ton of hearing a technical and
practical discussion of our avia-
ton problem by the man who
thrilled all of us by his spectacu-
lar flight across the ocean. But
instead of giving us advice on a
subject about which he should
be qualified to speak, Mr.. Lind
bergh gave another discourse on
American foreign policy. about
which he is no more qualified to
speak than Wrong Way" Corri-
gan or any other aviator who
may fly the Atlantic Oceans.
Surprised That Lindbergh
Accepted Hitler Decoration.
A few years ago Mr.. Lindbergh
went to Great Britain to live.
1t seemed natural to us that his
interest in aviation should cause
him to inspect the air forces
of other countries in Europe
France, Germany and Russia.
We thought nothing of it at first.
Then we were somewhat sur
prised by the news that he had
accepted decoration from Hit
Ter. We were further surprised
by the reports which came to us,
about the time of the Munich
settlement, that he was volun-
teering his advice in important
circles in England and France
thought to be favorable to
policy of appeasing Germany by
offering no resistance to her
aggression upon small countries
to her east. He had always been
regarded as a shy, retiring young
man, and the reports of his inter-
meddling in Europe did not seem
in keeping with his character.
Since last September he has
taken it upon himself to speak
thrice to the American people
upon what their attitude should
be toward the conflict now raging
in Europe.
When his first speech was de-
livered the question of the arms
embargo was uppermost in the
minds of Americans. Mr.. Lind
bergh failed to state in so many
words where he stood. But few
who heard his speech could doubt
that its net effort was to give
great comfort to those opposing
the. shipment of planes even
under the cash and carry clause
to the allies fighting in defense
of their national existence.
Recalls Lindbergh Plea
To Retain Embargo
The following month Mr.. Lind
bergh addressed the American
public a second time. He pleaded
that "for the benefit of Western
civilization we should continue
our embargo on offensive
He wanted to forbid
the sale for cash and delivery in
this country of bombing planes to
Britain and France while they
would lie unpitied beneath the
bombs of German planes.
Mr.. Lindbergh very cleverly
tried to make the American peo-
pie believe that you could dis
tinguish between offensive and
defensive planes All military ex-
perts agreed that such a dis
tinction was wholly untenable-
and that again the net effect of
Mr.. Lindbergh's distinction was
to urge the American people to
deny the allies means of defense,
and deny the United States the
increased productive capacity
that would contribute to our own
defense.
In that speech Mr.. Lindbergh
even went so far as to attack our
neighbor Canada for daring to
retain her allegiance to the
British Empire and joining in the
defense of the commonwealth of
nations of which she is by her
free choice a member.
Sc stated in effect that we must
demand that Canada separate
itself from the British Empire.
The United States cannot start
something it does not intend to
finish. Had we followed his ad-
vice and made such a demand
upon Canada and she refused
to comply with our demand, we
could enforce that demand only
with force. He was in effect
pleading that we made war upon
Canada and therefore upon the
British Empire while Hitler was
making war upon them.
Last Sunday the once shy
and reticent Mr.. Lindbergh again
thought that the American peo-
pie were in need of his advice,
this time about what he professed
to call "the air defense of the
United States.
Says He Can't Fathom
Third Lindbergh's Speech.
This third speech of Mr.. Lind
bergh was a singular perform
ance: I am still trying to dis
cover the meaning of it.
President Roosevelt had rec
commended appropriations for ma
tional defense which were ex-
tremely conservative in light of
the recommendations of his
military experts and in light of
the shocking and ominous de-
velopments abroad which have
threatened with destruction the
most inoffensive neutral nations.
Even Mr.. Lindbergh at the end
of his hysterical protest against
other people becoming hysterical
about our national defense pro-
pram. admitted that eve need,