Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-22


There are two alternatives which Britain
may pursue. She may fight to the bitter end,
or she may conclude negotiated peace. Let
us consider the second alternative first If
Britain and Hitler conclude negotiated peace,
that will very likely mean something more
than a cessation of hostiliues it will be an
alliance, secret if not open. but some sort of
entente nevertheless, directed either against
the Soviet Union or against u.s. This eveptu-
atty would in no wise be affected even if we
fight ON the side of Britain. Her course viii
be dictated by the memorable logic>aof the
situation and not by the finer considerations
of fairness, of sentiment.
If Britain fights to the bitter end with or
without Americas intercession, the outcome
-oEthe war in either victory or defeat, and
that is on the laps of the gods,-naayy in the
words of the President, be "aiike sterile
The policy, therefore, which we must pur-
sue should be at once the counterpart and the
reverse of the one followed by the willy Stain.
We should copy him by keeping out of the
war, so that our strength may not only remain
unimpaired but become multiplied for what
ever exigency may arise.
The choice we must make now is this
Shall we permit ourselves to be diverted from
the path of remaining aloof from the war by
considerations ever so pressing and thus be
Unanswered into a position where we shall
become a target for an attack by other pow
ers, or so exhausted as to be no longer
formidable factor in the world, yielding that
place to Soviet Russia, or shall we mind our
own business and bide our time for the in
evitable reckoning to come when the race
shall go to the swiftest? There is only one
answer that we can give.
What should be the extent of our help to
England? By all means we ought TO buck
up the spirits of the heroic men, women and
children of the tight little isle. But let us be
sensible about it. Apparently the British are
a match to the Axis powers on land.
The only advantage which the Nazis have
is in their air force. They are reputed to have
started the war with an air feet of 10000
airplanes, of which over 1000 had been lost
since. The facilities of Great Britain may not
be sufficient for overtaking the initial Nazi
lead and for maintaining, if not lead, at
least parity, in production. This is extremely
vital to the British men, women and children
who are the butt of the Nazi air blitz.
l suggest that our government make
commitment to supply the English with $4,000
planes as fast as production will permit and
consistent with our safety and defense needs.
This will give Britain margin not only for
defense but also for offense. l further sug-
gest that we make this contribution an out
right gift. The idea of ease-lend is prepos-
ferrous. How can we trust government that
WEIGHED the obligations of the last war to
honor those of the current one? If the British
government wants to be honest it can repay
the billion or so dollars which this supply of
planes will cost. But let us not fool ourselves
and others into thinking that we are giving
this on credit.
But in order to maintain an appearance Of
equality of treatment of all belgerents we
should follows the precedent set by the trade
of the average destroyers for air base sites.
In this instance, we should ask that Britain
cede to us outright, say, the Bahamas.
l do not conceive it to be our duty to aid
the embattled democraces. In the first place,
it is too big an order In the second place,
even if it were the right thing to do and that
may very well be, it is the wrong time to do
it, which may turn out to be equally disas
trous for us as to do the wrong thing. The
time to have aided the democracies by becom-
ing their arsenal was when this war first
started And this war first commenced when
the dictators, through their underlings.
swooped down upon democratic Spain.
NJ. MANUEL MERZON,