Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-08
Navy Secretary
Pleads: Save
Civilization
In,,rnntlnn.I Ner, ssr,ics w.


struction Of British sea power by
Hitler would ring down the cur
tain on civilization" Secretary OF
the Navy Knox says.
Appearing with Lord Halifax,
British ambassador. before gath
ering of 500 after the annual
dinner Of the American Book
sellers Association, Knox de-
clared.
AL our resources of trade,
commerce. production and man.
mower must be devoted to one
purpose-to see thst our sea
power shall not be destroyed"
Knox said that unless America
is dominant on both oceans those
oceans will mo longer be safe
guards. but will become avenues
of attack.
we have long had what we
are now trying so desperately
10 create" said Knox. I'VE have
long had a two-ocean navy. We
dominated the Atlantic through
the British navy because we had
nothing to fear from the British
navy, which could and did repel
any force hostile to us. The
other half of our two-ocean
navy dominated the Pacific.
ONE PART IN PERIL
But now one part Of our two
ocean navy Is In deadly peril.
which Is q danger to every
American. Our only safety is
to supplement Great Britain In
resisting the forces of darkness,
to prevent q victory by these
forces that would ring down the
curtain on civilization rs we
know IT."
Asserting that I'VE are living in
fearful danger" Knox outlined
the problems America would face
on the sea if Britain were de-
feated.
1--WE would face sea power i'm
mediately superior to our own
because we would have to pro-
tect the whole hemisphere" he
said I'VE would have to meet
on one side the combined fleets
of Germany, Italy and France,
and on the other the very ready
feet of Japan"
Earlier in the day Knox de-
clared that the navy is NOW
reader than ever" to aid in seeing
that munitions ships reach Great
Britain.
He made this observation tc
newsnen while disclosing Presi.
dent Roosevelt had given verbal
orders for the navy to take over
the sea-going activities Of the
coast guard. thereby strengthening
the navy's patrol force.
SMALL BOATS WANTED
Knox also revealed that British
representatives have asked the
United States to provide lis small
craft, including submarine chasers
and motor torpedo boats, similar
to some coast guard types. Dis
cusSions are proceeding regarding
types of mosquito boats to be
supplied. he said.
Lord Halifax read a message of
greeting sent by Winston Churchill
to the booksellers, which stated:
"Your calling has been well
described as q mighty power of
spirit in world. This power has
been taken away from many
nations by the Nazi tyrant. Not
easily will Ii be taken from the
English-speaking peoples, who,
from writers living and dead,
gathered courage and constancy
to strengthen us In the trials we
must undergo.
FEAR OF ONE MAN
'When the minds of nations
can be cowed by the will Of one
man, civilization Is broken
irreparably.
you who have measured the
strength of the Nazi conspiracy
against the world need no re-
minder that the means by which
nations are raised TO greatness
are the virtues bred by freedom
of speech and writing.
A one-man state is no state.
II is an enslavement of the soul,
the mind, the body of mankind.
Germany's fieeting dictator has
exiled or imprisoned the best Of
his writers. This remorseless
despOt now complains against
free American writers.
Their fault Ia that they
stand for n free way of life. II
Is life that Is death TO a me
teOric tyrant. So be IL. And 80
IL will be-"
a letter of greeting came from
President Roosevelt.