Evening star., 1940-05-20
Counsel of Disaster

Counsel of Disaster
In an address which can only be
described as remarkable for the in
consistency and confusion of it's
thought, Colonel Charles A. Lind
bergh has told the people of America
that we are in no danger of war and
that we will not become involved in
war unless we seek it out ourselves.
With an assurance implying
factual knowledge which he cannot
have, Colonel Lindbergh says cate
gorically and without any qualifica-
tion that mo one wishes to attack
u.s." In the same breath he says
that we need greater air force,
greater Army and a greater Navy"
The self-contradiction presented
here is interesting. Since it is not
to be supposed that Colonel Lind
bergh has access to information
concerning the plans of possible
aggressors, he is giving dogmatic ex-
preston merely to personal opinion
when he says that no one wishes to
attack us and that no one is in a
position to do so. But if that is the
case, or if he really believes it to be
the case, why, then, should he urge
the building up of our armed forces?
For what reason would he spend
money on additional arms If he does
not believe there is any danger of
an attack upon us?
The colonel also advances as
novel proposal the thought that we
ought to decide what we are going
to defend before we think about
building defensive air force. If our
defense is to be confined to the
United States, he says, we shall have
to build one type of air force; if we
are to defend the Western Hemi-
sphere planes of different types will
be needed. That, coming from one
who does not shrink from advising
the Nation as to the course it should
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amazing proposition.
President Roosevelt and other high
officials have stated time and again
that it is our intention to defend
the Western Hemisphere. Fleet and
land maneuvers have been carried
out with that objective in mind.
From no responsible quarter has
there come the slightest suggestion
that we should confine our planning
to defense of the United States
alone. To do so would be the sheer
est folly and no one knows that
better than Colonel Lindbergh, for
he acknowledged that any attempt
to defend only the United States
Eventually would leave us as vul-
nerable to air attack as the nations
Of Europe are today"
Colonel Lindbergh stands alone in
his uncertainty as to what our
defense policy is. 1t is doubt which
exists in his mind and nowhere else.
But that does not soften the harsh
fact that in advancing the suggestion
that we do not have a definite policy
In this respect he is doing disservice
to the country. If accepted by the
people at their face value. his remarks
could only serve to shake public
confidence in the administration at
a time when unity is a paramount
necessity.
Any and all suggestions that it is to
our interest to aid the allies in their
struggle against Germany are re-
jected outright by Colonel Lindbergh
as being the Vaccinations of uniden-
titled powerful elements" in America
seeking to serve their own selfish
purposes. Once again he holds forth
personal opinion disguised as fact,
without any supporting evidence.
The President, with ready access
to sources of information that are
denied to Colonel Lindbergh, has
stated In effect that France and
Britain are fighting our battle and
that they must be kept fighting at
least until we can prepare ourselves
That will require precious time, a
year or more at best, but the colonel
counsels delay.
His advice invites disaster, as is
evidenced by the fate which has
befallen half a dozen stricken nations
In Europe, and the American people
should have little difficulty in choos-
Ing between the course advocated by
the President and that which Colonel
Lindbergh, good airplane pilot,
would follow.