Evening star., 1941-10-21
Ickes Urges Probe
OF America First
Group by Congress
Now Nozi Organization,
Interior Head Says
In Chicago Speech
By tt1 Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, Oct 21.-Declaring
that America should not be con-
tent merely to play the role of
arsenal of democracy, Harold l..
Ickes asserted last night that the
time had arrived when I'VE must
decide which is our side and take
our stand irrevocably and deter
minedly on it"
Mr.. IckeS also urged a congress
sional investigation of the America
First Committee, which has op-
posed the Presidents foreign policy,
calling it Nazi organization.
I'VE have tried to put off the evil
day of decision by pretending that
no evil lies in wait for us, or that, if
lying in wait. We can fend it off by
some of our customary wishful
thinking" the Interior Secretary
said in an address at the Sinai
Temple Forum. But who, if he
can read and think honestly and
effectively, longer doubts that the
time for our final decision Is here.
We must face the issue"
MI. Ickes did not say directly
whether he referred to the issue of
war or peace. but declared I'VE must
throw overheard the absurd idea
that an all-out effort to preserve
democracy can go skipping under
the trees, hand in hand with bust
ness as usual" He also called for
repeal Of the obsolete and uniwse"
Neutrality Act.
Blames Profiteers, Strikers.
Contending that this country's
armament effort had been far short
Of needs, Mr.. Ickes laid much of
the responsibility on our appeasers
and our defeatists," on businessmen
interested chiefly in profits and on
workers unwilling to forego strikes.
He recalled the Nazi attack on
Yugoslavia and Greece and this
countrys inability to send substan-
tial aid to those nations.
We had spent too much time
wool gathering he said. Too long
had America listened to its Lind
berghs, its Gen. Woods, its Chicago
Tribunes and its Burton Wheelers."
His reference, in addition to the
Chicago newspaper, was to Col.
Charles A. Lindbergh, Gen. Robert
E. Wood of Chicago and the senior
Senator from Montana. All have
criticized the administration for
eign policy
Mr.. IckeS went on to recall that
many had opposed aid to Russia.
and said: How I was denounced
when, as petroleum co-ordinator. I
sent some American tankers loaded
with aviation gasoline to the Rus
SLAMS. Why. in no time at all, they
had a Senate committee on my trail.
a carefully chosen committee intent
upon believing only such facts as
1t wanted to believe"
"a Senate investigating COM
mittee concluded after hearings
that there was no prospect of a
real gasoline shortage in Eastern
seaboard States and no need for
restrictions imposed by Mr.. Ickes
on gasoline salesD
A congressional investigation
which should be made, Mr.. Ickes
said, was one of the America First
Committee.
When organized, he declared. this
group included some sincere but
misguided Americans" but today lis
a tight little Nazi organiza ton that
follows the party line as laid down
in Berlin"
Some people Of good intention
but of little understanding, he
added, have been kept out in front
as window-dressing. They are
merely decoys"
Such an investigation, Mr.. Ickes
said, might find out among other
things whether Senator Curly
Brooks Republican. of Illinois, call,
Robert r. Mccormick publisher ol
Chicago Tribune) for orders twice q
day. or only once"
Mr.. Ickes also discussed what h.
said was an effort on the part Of
some persons to lead the American
people to believe that the Presiden
might abolish next years congres.
sional elections.
Sees Source in Press.
Quoting from the New Republic
he said it started with Capt. Joseph
Medill Patterson and the New Yorl
Daily News and was developed II
an editorial in the Washington
Times Herald Mr.. Ickes said thai
then Arthur Krock, the sly col
umnist of the New York Times
joined in the chorus" to be followed
later by Charles A. Lindbergh ir
an address at Des Moines.
bo coiI uitlor