Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-25
Gandhi Takes
-RooseveI+a+ at
Face Value
Assumes Liberty Pr omise
Referred to lndia
BY GEO. RoTHwELL BROWN

dStute, III STUBBORN Slt-OOWn-
strike. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Gandhi-has accepted at face
value Mr.. Roosevelts recent
pledge of eternal liberty to all
the world.
Without referring specifically
to the Presidents promise, Mr..
Gandhi, in an interview reported
by the Associated Press. declares
that the United States should
withdraw any help from Great
Britain unless there are guar
antees Of human liberties"
The great Indian leader had
special reference to his own
country and he has assumed
that Mr.. Roosevelt had India in
mind when he made the pledge,
on behalf of the United States
government. of universal free
dom.
,QUT this is not what is in the
- mind of the British states
men in London. While Mr..
Gandhi was urging an immedi-
ate peace without defeat" Mr..
L. S. Amery. secretary of state
for India, was saying in a
speech:
1T II up to us and America to
find ways and means to over
come all obstacles, to give while
there Is yet time the relief Rus
sin so sorely needs"
And coincident with this, the
London Daily Sketch was put
ting a sharp point to another
well-known pledge, that of Mr..
Winston Churchill to the effect
that if America would furnish
the tools. England would finish
the job. Said this British news
paper:
THE idea this titanic struggle
can he won WITHOUT ANY
SHEDDING OF AMERICAN
BLOOD may dismissed by
every American as insane"
That is not only the view of
British craftsmanship. as now
openly reflected in the British
press, but ii is the frank opinion
of two of the foremost of Brit
ish generals.
IN WHICH direction Is Wash
L ington moving, toward the
peace visualized by Mahatma
Gandhi, or toward about war
on the continent of Europe?
One has only to contemplate
the secrecy with which the
Democratic majority in Con-
gress is moving toward full re-
peal of the Roosevelt Neutrality
Act of 1889 to find the answer.
A new mark in congressional
subserviency to executive de-
mand was established when the
House foreign affairs committee
majority voted to confine hear
ings on the matter of arming
merchant ships to two days.
These hearing were secret.
Those witnesses appearing in
support of the amendment were
permitted to issue statements TO
the press embodying their views
as expressed 10 the committee,
and they did so.
But no inkling of what these
witnesses. including Secretary
Hull, might have said under the
pressure of close Interrogation
and cross-examination was per-
mitted to reach the public ear.
HPffE American people were
L left in darkness as to what
is going on behind the scenes
in Washington in matters affect
ing their lives.
Mr.. Hull is frankly in favor
of outright repeal of the Neu-
trality Act. Take out what he
objects to and nothing would be
left. We should not only arm
the merchant vessels but we
would send them to belligerent
ports loaded with munitions of
war.
Why was not this plan fol-
lowed in the House? Because
we are going to embark upon
this dangerous course only a
step at time. The first step
is TO be taken by the House.
1t is freely said in Washing
ton that in the Senate the bill
will be amended TO repeal the
prohibition against American
ships entering combat zones.
The House, Sunder rigid rule,
will then have but one choice.
10 vote the whole amended bill
up or down. The administration
counts on commanding enough
votes.
After that the a. +. F.?
49,