Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-16
Roosevelt
Brake Urged
In Arms Aid
u. S. After Sea Control
johnson Insists
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

our entrance into the world
war when the lease-lend bill was
passed in its existing form by
Overwhelming majorities and
after fierce debate.
The Presidents shoot first"
speech was as sure TO follow
after that sooner or later as day
follows night. Long ago this COL
umn wrote:
"A ton Of munitions on the
docks OF Liverpool il of vital
value to the British. A ton Of
munitions In the hands of our
troops IL a great aid to our de-
Tense. But ton of munitions at
the bottom of the Atlantic helps
nobody but Hitler"
IL there are great losses of
this precious American bought
stuff, how long will it be before
our own public is going 10 ask:
"Are we spending these bill
lions To sink them I'm the sea-"
THIS column has advocated
different course aid 10
Britain but with a greater legis-
latlve control over its disposition
and without delegating 10 the
President an almost unlimited
power to engage us in war al
any time and at any place on the
earths surface.
However, when the lend lease
bill passed 1t recognized that
the prese menaclng con
sequences were unavoidable and
that engagement in war was
only matter OF time.
The nearer such a time
approaches the less latitude we
shall have in opposing specific
acts of executive discretion.
have not critized the Presidents
shoot first" speech because l
thought II was a logical and in
evitable consequence of the
events that came before il.
But II does seem TO me that
the argument il contained could
have been more frank and
realistic especially that part
about freedom Of the seas.
His is not really the ancient
American doctrine of Sea-rightS
Of neutral nations 10 engage in
peaceful commerce.
That is not what We are about
10 vindicate. II is a new aSScr-
ton of a right 10 engage not in
neutrality but in belligcrcnCy
without taking full part in the
war and full responsibility for
il and 10 shoot it out with any
belllgercnt that interferes.
VHAT also may be inevitable
Il and thoroughly defonSible
in view of the changed practices
Of modern war and the coming
into full strength of oVer-Watcr
and underwater fighters.
We are not discussing that
question here but only the
apparently unShakable habit OF
some Of our leaders of calling
hard subjects by soft names,
of sugar coating every nauSeOus
pill and Of rarely putting issues
before our people in terms of
fact.
There is no more freedom Of
the seas. That's the cause for
which we fought World War l.
1t was one Of the principal para
graphs in Mr.. Wilson's II points
But it was Scuttled at Yer
sailleS and it was the British
who Scuttled il. They wanted
domination Of the seas-dOmina-
tion by them on some kind OF
understanding with us.
THAT was also plain az the
Il Harding limitation on arma-
mcnts conference. The Neutral
ity Act which Mr.. Roosevelt
himself sponsored and supported
was not for freedom Of the
seas" 1t was for surrender Of
a large part Of that freedom.
Place It's pale remnants along
side the Lease-Lend Act and the
shoot first" speech and you
viii see that they are complete
contradictions. H.
/ think the air would have n
purer odor and our people would
understand our position better
if these fuzzy hypocricies were
abandoned
l think that it should be said
frankly that we are out for
Joint domination. with Britain.
of the seas by force of arms.
and that we should repeal the
neutrality acts.
Maybe that is not what our
people want 10 do but, whether
they want il or not, that is what
our government is doing, and in
democracy that should be
made clear.
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