Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-03
Hoover
Correct
On Alaska
Anfi-War Talk Defended;
Speech Analysed
By HUGH S. JOHNSON

BY HUGH S. JOHNSON
THIS column never has been
noted for undue Partially
for Herbert Hoover. Before his
unfortunate presidency almost
all his intimates whom / knew
swore by him as great guy.
That included contemporaries
clear back 10 his college days,
army comrades and relatives of
mine in the Chinese Boxer Re-
bellion, and business associates.
We tangled a trifie in the
World War when i was re-
Sponsible first for man-power
mobilization and later in
minor capacity for army supply
and industrial mobilization.
He kept saying food will win
the war"
My associates in grimmer
business resented that.
We tangled more violently
later when George Peek. my
partner and friend. began his
long and ultimately successful
fight for what we called equal
ity for agriculture"
All that is water over the
dam.
l have seen a good deal of
Mr.. Hoover in these latter days.
He compares a lot closer with
the kindly philosopher and good
comrade my friends described
10 me in the pre-war years than
with what l considered a re-
dictionary and dogmatic sour
pusS some time later.
He is as wholesome, modest
and considerate as any man
with whom you would like TO
spend an evening settling the
affairs of the world
OF COURSE, all this is lead
" ing up 10 something.
Mr.. Hoover made a carefully
considered speech in Chicago
recently.
1t boiled down TO this - that,
while we should help Britain
and China with everything we
have, neither moral. military
nor economic Judgment Indicates
that we should begin actual
shooting war one moment be-
fore II is necessary.
With some of what Mr..
Hoover said. this column cam
not agree. With much of what
he said, and certainly with its
fundamental principle. it does
agree.
That isn't the point of this
piece.
That point is the character of
the protest that immediately
followed
Navy Secretary Frank Knox,
the ex-Rough Rider, came out
like the bad man from Bitter
Creek, rootin'. tootin' and
shootin' for about war tomor-
row.
o. K, Frank. everybody had
your number, and If that is the
way you feel about it-aHd il is
do your stuff and bless you.
You always were what the
real cattle hands out West. in
the old days, called Slegel-
Cooper cor mail-order) cowboy
and you do and always have
honestly and conspicuously rep
resented your point of view.
DUT the reaction that gives
- me a pain in the neck is
that of our amateur columnar
strategists.
Take this from fellow ponti-
fex, Walter Lippman.
The danger that Stain may
lose Siberia TO Hitler would put
the latter on our Alaskan bor-
ders which ought TO have the
full attention of all who not
only wish 10 put America first
but - also know how put
erica first"-presumably,
Walter.
"Fight?"
1t reminds me OF a sales man.
ayers pep conference when the
big boss kept yelling we've got
10 think" and the office boy got
fired for muttering with
WHAT"
Also Mai George Fielding
Eliot dismisses Mr.. Hoover as
an ignoramous in military craft
and statecraft. and on somewhat
similar grounds.
The value of this very nee
essary debate would be distinctly
impaired without the contribu-
tions Of these two studious.
Woodworking and earnest COM
mentatorS.
DUT ii is going pretty far to
- dismiss Mr.. Hoover as an
ignoramus.
He is perfectly correct in
minimizing any Nazi threat 10
Alaska through Siberia.
Let's not forget. in evaluating
these charges of ignorance, that
next to the President. MIR.
Hoover. under heavy response
bility. has a greater experience
in these matters, especially in
this area. than any American.
Let's not forget another thing: