Evening star., 1941-11-02
Roosevelt's Navy Day Address
Clarifies i. S. COmbatant Role
Neutrality Act Amendment of Historic Importance
in That 1t, in Effect, Gives President
Mandate to Make War
BY Felix Morley.

V1 OItJ.
J indicated that he plans anything more
| than naval operations And he has said
much to indicate that he is opposed to
sponsoring an American expeditionary
force 1t was only 10 months ago, after
his election to third term Of Office and
months ,fter the German conquest of
France, that Mr.. Roosevelt told his radio
listeners: You can nail any talk Of
sending armies to Europe as deliberate
untruth."
! However. Senator Pepper of Florida
who often serves as advance guard for
the administration in the field of foreign
policy. has admitted in the present de-
bate that he would favor the sending of
an eXpeditionarv force if necessary to
defeat Hitler. And there can be little
doubt that public sentiment for such ac-
ton is stronger than was the case last
December.
Might Not Improve Situation.
Moreover. it does not appear likely that
mere elimination of the "hamstringing
of itself materially improve an adverse
military situation. If repeal is accom-
plished, Great Britain will more easily
obtain the munitions. but will still lack
the men necessary for victory. Russia
will have the men, but in view of trans
port difficulties and Industrial centers
lost or damaged, probably will continue
to lack the munitions. British leaders
now continually intimate that outright
victory over Germany depends on an
offensive punch which only the United
States will be able to contribute.
In his Navy Day speech the President
drew an analogy WITH the German COL
lapse in the fall of 1918. That, he said,
is proof that a mighty German army
and tired German people can crumble
rapidly and go to pieces when they are
faced with successful resistance
For those who vividly recall the closing
days of the last war the analogy is not
quite satisfying. 1t was not successful
resistance but successful attack which
brought disintegration to the Kaiser's
Germany. And in that attack large
American expeditionary force played a
prominent part.
If the American people really mean
to defeat Germany, measures going far
beyond any now openly contemplated
will be necessary. It will not be enough
to amplify condemnations of Hitler and
all his works, nor even to adopt the
symbolic "V" as a base for feminine
headgear The task will be to- change
the whole psychology Of the country from
that of defense to that of attack.
Signs Indicate Change Is Not Near.
There are many signs that this change
is not yet at hand. The continuing
prevalence of very serious strikes in war
industries indicates that the trade unions
involved are still relatively indifferent
about the defeat of Germany. The same
conclusion is forced by the persistence
of the business as usual" motif. 1t has
been confirmed by the seeming unwill-
ingness of the President to give une-
ouivocal Endorsement TO war legislation
clearly necessary to implement his public
utterances.
The spread between what national
leadership demands and what the public
seems ready to perform is causing grave
anxiety. If the Nation is to exercise its
tremendous strength effectively, for any
desired end, that spread must be mar
rowed This can be accomplished either
by increasing the public performance, or
by lessening the demands of leadership,
or by both. But nothing is gained by
pretending that there is no gulf to be
bridged.
For that reason, If for no other, the
hard hitting debate now under way in
Congress is overdue The issue which
has too long been lodged is now coming
in fortnight form, and democratic man.
ner, before the elected representatives
of the people. The vote on repeal of the
Neutrality Act will not of itself decide
the outcome of the war. But it will for
the first time provide popular mandate
on the issue Of outright and formidable
American participation in the struggle.
1t is high time that this issue should
be taken out of the hands Of the unoffi-
cial analysts and placed frankly before
that organ of our Government in which
every member can be held to strict &C
countability by the electorate.