Evening star., 1941-03-16
Member Of the Associated Press.
A Call to Action

President Roosevelt's address at
last nights annual dinner of the
White House Correspondents Asso-
citation was vigorous, fighting call
to action-a dedication of all the
resources of this country to the
single objective of driving totali-
tarianism from the civilized world.
In a talk of this kind there was
no place for ambiguity or innuendo,
and Mr.. Roosevelt dealt in neither.
Speaking in terms too plain to per-
NIT of any misunderstanding, the
President served notice-noW that
the lease-lend bill has become law
that the United States is definitely
and finally committed to a total
victory for democracy, and from that
commitment there can be no turning
back. Passage of the bill, he said,
marked decision on the part of
the Nation which lis the end of
any attempts at appeasement in our
land; the end of urging us to get
along with the dictators; the end of
compromise with tyranny and the
forces Of oppression"
Having taken that position, it was
eminently fitting that Mr.. Roosevelt
should sketch the broad outlines of
the task that lies ahead, and he did
so in language which, almost for the
first time, was attuned to the stark
realities of our position. The old at
tenlpts to superimpoSe the defense
program on normal industrial opera
tions-a program which was popular
only few months ago-WaS tossed
into the discard, once and for all.
as the President solemnly warned
that "a half-hearted effort on our
part will lead to failure"
The great need Of the moment,
he said, is for speed-speed in pro-
duction which can be achieved only
by sacrifices on the part of every
American. How great these sacrifices
ultimately may have to be, the Presi-
dent did not say, but there can be
no doubt as to the correctness Of his
assertion that their final extent
will depend upon the speed with
which we act now"
Discussing generally the nature of
the sacrifices which will be called
for from all citizens, the President
warned that higher taxes will have
to be paid and that longer hours
will have 10 be worked. Likewise, he
served notice that profiteering will
not be permitted, and that the deter
mination of America to make its full
contribution to the war effort must
not be obstructed by unnecessary
strikes of workers, by short-sighted
management, or by deliberate Sabo-
tage. These, obviously, are general
tiles, but if they mean what they
seem to imply-that the Govern
ment will not tolerate obstructionist
tactics from any source--the Presi-
dent may be assured of the enthu-
siastic support of the American
people.
Mr.. Roosevelt also dealt broadly
instead of specifically with the char
acter of assistance that is to be given
now to Britain and her Allies. But,
at the same time, he made it clear
that there would be no stinting in
.his respect when he said: Every
plane, every other instrument of war,
old and new, which we can spare
now, we will send overseas" That,
as he said, is common-sense strategy
and it must be enlarged upon in the
future.
At the outset of his talk, he
acknowledged candidly that he-as
was the case with most other Amer
icans-underestim the gravity of
the totalitarian menace. But all of
that, as he correctly stated, is water
over the dam, and no useful purpose
is served now by fixing or lodging
blame. At this time our great OBJ
jective-the winning of the war
lies in the future, and the Nation
must bend every energy toward its
attainment, to the end that the
"new history" which is being written
: soday shall not record the eclipse
Of our way Of life.