Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-08

By WESTBROOK PEGLER
THERE has been a note like
the grDwl of a mob forming
in a dark street in the eontfo-
versy over the beliefs and activi-
ties of Charles A. Lindbergh and
Burt Wheeler.
To make matters worse, the
loudest voices are those of in
dividuals who discredit and en-
barrass any cause 10 which they
attach themselves. any public
person TO whom they gratu-
itously contribute their support.
Lindbergh and Wheeler. OPP
posing participation in the war
on patriotic grounds. were bound
to discover in their following all
the conspirators of the anti
American Bund and the equally
traitorous though less effective
Fascist Italian groups.
The mission of these people is
TO aggravate quarrels between
Americans and to prevent the
delivery of effective help to
Britain.
Whether Lind bergh and
Wheeler like such company or
not. they cannot elude them, al
though IL seems incumbent on
all opponents of the nations
course toward war to repudiate
such support and TO single out
individuals for personal denunci-
alton.
They know the names, all
right.
DUT tho attacks on these men
- for their beliefs have been
outrageous and are growing
more indecent day by day.
The United States is not at
war, and any one who believes
tina, Britain can't win, with or
without our help, and that we
couldn't win fight with Ger
many and Japan certainly has
right 10 say so.
To call such a person a fifth
columnist. which means traitor
and nothing else. is TO abandon
intelligent discussion and resort
to name-calling.
This, as President Roosevelt,
paradoXically, pointed out in
one of his big speeches. is sure
proof that the offender has run
out Of legitimate arguments.
Moreover, the patriotic
records OF these two men COM
pare very well with that OF any
individual in the war party.
The counter-blaSt Of war
monger' is just as bad.
+ AM convinced that Lindbergh
L and Wheeler are wrong in
believing this nation could live
free and prosperous in the same
world with a victorious Hitler.
But / agree that after we have
fought IN the war, as | believe
we Will. We will have neither
freedom nor prosperity even
though We should win.
l don't believe a victorious
Britain could absorb back into
peaceful production all the men
and women who have been
called up for war duties without
bad internal disorder, or that
Britain can escape the adoption
of those elements of Hitlerism
which are socialistic.
1t is idle and battling TO try 10
foresee the future. but it is lust
as futile to believe that, after
this war, either Britain or this
country will resume the familiar
ways of freedom for which we
think the British are fighting.
In fact, in this country, long
before the war began. we were
inching along toward compul-
sion and restrictions on the peo-
pie and confscation of property.
WHAT, then, would be the
w sense of fighting at all? The
answer is that Hitler's treat
ment of the Poles has shown
what we could expect from a
victorious Germany, whereas if
he is put down we make our
own future, whatever that may
be.
1t is not a choice Of Presidnet
Roosevelt or Churchill. This is
the German war of conquest.
and we don't know the limit OF
NaZi ambition.
But. like the bridge which
rocked itself down at Tacoma.
we are losing our equilibrium
in this debate over the position
of Lindbergh and Wheeler.
by United Features synd., Inc.