The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-21
. Editorial Comments
From Other Angles
r
New Bedford, Mass, standard-Time

In the second chapter OF Genesis it is de-
scribed that the children of Noah moved into
the Plain of Shinar and became prosperous. In
prosperity they developed ideas-that they
| should make a name for themselves, build a
CITY and a tower (which shall reach unto Hea.
ven."
But the Lord was displeased with the city
and the tower, and, particularly, with the
haste with which they had forgotten their hum
BILE beginnings and the privations of the Ark.
So He took from them their great asset, a
| common tongue, and confounded their language
so that none might understand the other and
| scattered them over the earth. And the tower
they built was called Babel, a symbol forever
of confusion of voices and meaningless chatter.
In the debate on CONSUMPTION in Washington
the past week, we have set up a rival, or
sideshow, for Babel.
Says the President: II am distinctly in favor
Of a ~selective service training bill and I con-
slider it essential to adequate national defense
Says Senator Wheeler: Transcription will
slit the throat of the last democracy living
today"
cratic way to provide adequate national de-
fense."
Says Senator Norris: Compulsory military
training in time of peace will lead the country
into dictatorship"
Says Secretary of War Stimson: 1.-The only
effective way of treating emergencies such as
this is by CONSUMPTION and training large ar
miles,
Says former Secretary of War Woodring II
cannot see the need of CONSUMPTION at this
time.''
Says Secretary of the Navy Knox IF we
are to protect ourselves, our integrity and this
hemisphere, we must adopt compulsory mill
tary training. and adopt it now"
Says Senator ~Vandenberg: Give voluntary
enlistment a fair trial. If that fails, I will vote
for conscription."
Says General George c. Marshall, Chief of
Staff: 1T seems that compulsory training is
so necessary that it is almost past a time Of
debate"
Says Representative Shafer: IT think this is
just another means for perpetuating the war
hysteria for which the President himself is re-
sponsible.'
Says Senator Sheppard: Hitler will trv to
attack the United States. That is my firm belief
and if it wasn't, I wouldn't be here trying to
get the Senate to approve this legislation"
Says Senator Holt: The alien doctrine of
CONSUMPTION came from foreign shores and was
incubated in the banks and law firms of Wall
Street"
Is this Babel Of discordant voices a vista
ton Of Divine displeasure?
Have we, as a people, failed to appreciate
our gifts and are we now to be deprived Of
our American heritage, common purpose and
unity in time of stress?
This in not the orderly process of democratic
debate.
There is being tested in the two houses of
Congress, in this Babel of confliction tongues
and viewpoints, the very principle of demo
cracy itself.
1t is, simply stated: Is the democratic prin-
clple OF free government, with it's corollary of
free and unlimited debate, equal to meeting
the crisis created by a totaltiarian world?
While Wheeler crates about Sitting the
throat OF democracy" is he helping to make
the principle unavoidable in a time of great
national emergency?
The draft issue itself is not complex, There
are two classes of opponents and neither act
ually, as Walter Lippnann pointed out Tues
day, opposes the principle of the draft.
One group, led by Wheeler, wants the draft
delayed until we are at war.
The other group, led by Vandenberg. wants
the draft delayed until voluntary enlistment"
with increased pay has been given a flair
trial"
Delay!
Who is to judge whether we dare delay?
Is it the President, the Secretary of the Navv
the Secretaries of War and of State. the gen
erals of the Army and Navy? These say we
dare not delay!
Or can we rely on the N~orrises, Hollis and
VAecASAS, WHO SCOI at the danger and attri-
butte selfish motives to those who advocate the
draft? ~
Senator Lee said last week Hitler has said.
we shall create a new Germany in Latin
America, and we shall have Storm Trooners
in America"
We know: That for several years Hitler has
been threatening America.
That within months these threats have oni.
nously ceased, while Hitler conquered one FIR
opean country after another.
That military threats against America have
been replaced by threats of economic attack
That this change of tactics is reminiscent of
the efforts Hitler made to lull Holland and
enmar and Norway before he attacked.
That Hitler has ''slit the throat of every
democracy in Europe except England. and that
the climax Of Britain's life and death struggle
is at hand.
That the Monroe Doctrine guarantees Hem.
lsphere defense and forbids the Storm Troop.
ers Hitler says he will have in the Americas.
every senator or representative who now
opposes CONSUMPTION voted for this Monroe
Doctrine resolution)
Under these conditions shall we take a
chance on CONSUMPTION I'm time of peace''
and, for once, try to have our boys eouipped
and prepared-f there still is time?
or Shall we take the chance that all our
military advisers are wrong-and, as Vanden.
berg, Taft, Norris and Wheeler advise-delay?
This is the choice the people must make and
make now.
Already the delay has postponed for three