Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-19
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON


Il ting into war. DR.. L. NJ.
Birkenhead said of the America
First Committee whether its
members know il or not and
whether they like it or not (it)
is Nazi front NaZi trans
mission belt" with an intima-
tion that it is also anti-Semitic.
Columnist John Flynn resented
that as a smear" Now the
editorial page of the New York
Herald Tribune says Herr Hit
ler's approving citation by name
of Gen. Robert +. Wood
lends a certain added
point to the brisk inter-
h ange . here is Adolf
Hitler himself, head Nazi of
them all. using their tAmerica
FirstS) acting chairman's name
for exactly that purpose
The word purpose here re-
fers to feeding the American
people the vicious arguments of
Adolf Hitler" The editorial con-
tinues in part they members
of America FirsD should, in
short, do something positive to
prevent their being used in that
way"
What Hitler said was: THE
fact that the American General
Wood before the investigating
committee of the American
Senate testified that as early
as 1886. Churchill told him Ger
many was getting too strong
again and must be destroyed in
a new war. established firmly IN
history the real responsibility
for present developments.
THE fact is, of course. that AL
l. lied indifference and the
vast offensive German rearma-
ment beginning not in 1886 but
in 1888 and not what Churchill
told Wood. or any inference
therefrom, is responsible for
present developments But as
for Wood. quoting Churchill,
being in any sense a transmits
sion belt for NaZi argument -
the mere assertion of such
thing shows how far hysterla
has BACKED out fairness in this
country.
Churchill didn't tell Wood
anv such opinion in confidence.
In the most remarkably pro-
phetic speeches ever made in
Parliament from November.
1882, TO the beginning OF this
war. many Of them published in
his book. while England Slept,
he a foretold exactly what has
happened and urged England TO
about armament as the only
means to stop Germany. he
shouted il from the house-topS.
! am glad to repeat that from
the very first issue of this coll
umn. March Is. 1885, and con-
tinuously since. exactly the
same warning has been repeated
here with exactly the same pre-
scription for our safety.
Robert (. Wood, able soldier
with a most distinguished rec
ord in the service of his coun-
try would not, and this very
printed record declared that ne
did not, advance any argument
10 favor Hitler. That record also
shows the cruel twisting OF this
fiimSy incident TO dlscredlt a
good man.
MARK TWAIN wrote of what
WI he called the rule for mil
lion wears ahead. "A few fair
men on the other side will argue
and reason against the war with
speech and pen and at first Will
have a hearing and be applauded
but il will not last long; the
others will outshout them =, &.
before long you will see this
curious thing: the speakers
stoned from the platform and
free speech strangled by hordes
of furious men who III their
secret hearts are still at one
with those stoned speakers but
do not dare say so.
"And now the whole nation,
pulpit and all, will take up the
war cry and shout itself hoarse
and mob any man who ventures
to open his mouth; and presently
such mouths will cease to open"
GEORGE WASHINGTON had
VI something TO say on the
same subject. in his farewell
address, Excessive Partially
for one foreign nation and ex-
cessive dislike of another causes
those whom they actuate to see
danger only on one side and
serve to veil and even second
the arts of influence on the
other.
Real patriots, who may re-
sist the intrigues of the favOrite.
are liable TO become suspected
and odious; while its tools and
dupes usurp the applause and
confidence Of the people, to sur
render their interests"
1t can happen here. II hap
pened in 1917. 1t seems very
clear that now it has happened
again.
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25 YEARS AGO TODAY
March 10, 1916 !
German air raiders kill nine