Evening star., 1940-10-30


leans:
On Sunday I returned from
war-torn Europe to the peaceful
shores of our beloved country, re-
newed in my conviction that this
country must and will stay out OF
war. Tonight I desire to give to
you, my fellow countryInen, my
views on what I consider to be
the position of the United States
of America in world crisis which
inevitably-win, lose or draw
gravely will affect the destinies OF
every man, woman and child. The
impact of this conflict will be felt
even by our children's children.
This evening I am going to tell
you briefly what I think of the
world situation as it affects
America. Since early in 1888,
mine has been a ringside seat.
Doubtless there are some who
will look askance when an Am
baSsador to the Court of st.
James speaks over the radio in
the last week of presidential
campaign. But it is for the very
reason that I serve as Ambassador
to England that I am addressing
you in order that you may have
an accurate report and my esti-
mate of the future on the eve of
this, probably the most critical
election year of our existence.
The events of the last few years
are confusing, even to the best
informed minds. There are some
things, however, that are as clear
as crystal. The people of Amer
lea are dedicated to the cause of
peace. They want a chance to
work out their own problems and,
If possible, to help in the reali-
zation of the age-old dream of a
world without war. The Ameri-
can people overwhelmingly re-
pudiate the philosophy of blitz-
krieg-that force is the sole ar
bitter of mans destiny. But the
world, sad to relate, is not of our
making.
Diplomacy Has to Give Way
To New WeapOn-POwer.
Heretofore the technique of
diplomacy has been used to ad-
vance a policy of a particular
government. There was no more
difficult art in the realm of hu-
man affairs, and a country's
Success in the World War, to a
great extent. was measured by
the skill of its diplomats.
In place of negotiations and
peaceful methods of adjustment
the dictator countries have dis
covered a new weapon-unbri-
died force and terrorism towards
nations large and small. Unfor-
tunately, from the society of ma
tions, reason has fled. Diplomacy
has almost become the lost art.
The other day in talking to a
fellow diplomat in London I
pointed this out. He said, "Ah,
but let any nation win a few bat
ties. You would be surprised how
important their diplomacy would
then become" Yes, I think that
IS true. And it emphasizes my
point, that diplomacy is no
longer the instrument it was-it
has to give way to power.
The thing that matters most
now is not in the field of diplo-
macy-not at all. What counts
in this hour Of crisis is what we,
the United States of America, are
prepared to do in order to make
ourselves strong. On that point
there can't be, and I am sure
there is not, the slightest dis
agreement in this country. Even
the most staid isolatfonist is now
alive to the danger facing any
nation in the modern world.
America Can Stay Out of War
If We rearm Fast Enough.
The realization that oceans
alone are not adequate barriers
against revolutionary forces
which now threaten a whole
civilization has not come too
late. We are rearming.
We are rearming because 1t
ts the only way in which America
can stay out of war. If we rearm
fast enough, America will stay
out of war. 1t is to be our guar
antee of peace.
While we shall not be involved
In this war, we are bound to be
seriously affected by it. All dur
ing my first year in England I
felt strongly that if England got
into the war, in the long run, 1t
would be most unfortunate for
the interests of our people. And
I always hoped for a lasting
peace.
And speaking about peace, IN
the last year I have read a lot OF
irresponsible writings, most OF 1t
critical nature, about the Munich
pact. The criticism, in my judg-
ment, Is not justified. Mr.. Cham
berlain hailed it as peace in our
time" and was cheered by thou
sands of people who had the
dread of the war in their hearts
"a war that comes to them now,
night after night, in a relentless
shattering of bombs, of death and
destruction. He and nearly every
one in Great Britain knew that
Munich was but an armistice, a
last opportunity given to the
Allies to make up, in part at least,
for their tragic failure to under
stand the peril to their very lives
as nations. Can any one imagine
what would have happened to
England if the blitzkreig of the
summer of 1910 had occurred in
September of 1888?
About year ago on my return
from England after having seen
the failures of the diplomats and
the outbreak of force which
has conquered so many peoples,
I said America should keep out
Of war. And after my experiences
of the past year, I am more con-
vinced than ever that America
should stay out of this war.
Involvement in War Would