The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-12-17
BY JOHN STAHLBERG


Within a few hours after the be-
ginning Of war which we could moi
honorably avoid, every American who
had previously opposed war-and this
If we look back beyond year or two
includes almost everybody - had Of
fered the government of our country
all the support which his resources
or abilities permitted him to offer
That is a proud and solid historical
fact. Let it be recorded boldly for
the benefit Of those rare I-told-yoH-
soers who, forgetting or choosing to
ignore their own earlier doubts, would
risk a renewal of the old divisions of
sentiment, merely to pamper their
own vanity or to satisfy personal
malice.
President Roosevelt, in his first
wartime address to the nation, recog-
nized this fact. "Over the hard road
of the past months" he said, I'VE
have at times met obstacles and diff
ficulties, divisions and disputes, in
difference and callousness. That is
now all past-and, | am sure, forgot
ten"
AS one of those who had defended
the right of the isolationists to their
sincere beliefs, l am proud Of the way
in which they have yielded to the
judgment of history. 1t bears out my
contention-a contention which under
less hysterical conditions it would not
have been necessary to advance-that
those who yell for a gun at the first
hint of trouble are by no means the
only ones who love their country.
Many of our former isolationists, now
that war is here, will get to recruit
ing station several leaps ahead of our
loudest interventionists
l am sorry for Jeanette Rankin,
who has allowed her honest distaste
for war to press her into an absurd
position. / still assert that she has
every right to her convictions, but
believe she ought to retire from a
job which is apparently too much for
her. The exhibitionists who have
been falling over one another in their
haste to draw attention to themselves
by publicly denouncing her, ought to
retire as well, and take a moment or
two for calm reflection. We will not |
win war against brave, skillful, and |
well-armed adyersaries~ by prosecuting |
a grey-haired lady who has permitted |
her heart to lead her head We shall |
need head in this war, but we shall |
need heart too.
There were many encouraging
things in the Presidents address be-
sides the paragraph quoted above;
and other heartening things have been
said and printed during the days since
he spoke. In connection with the
question of complete truth in the war
news, he affirmed the right of citizens
to express their considered beliefs-a
right which, based on the unified will
Of the people, will vastly confirm that
unity-a right which the people of
still hold after two years and
more of war; He spoke of the future
in terms of international cooperation
and of the preservation for our chill
dren of all that our own nation rep
resents. These things have all been
said before, but there is something
about the way they are being said
now that offers hope
Will I be thought extremely naive,
wonder, if say that I like the spirit
If honesty, of simple good sportsman
ship, in which we have accepted the
irst very bad news of this war? For
years I have been repeating that you /
cannot win a fight by declaring your I
enemy weak, cowardly, incompetent, '
Ind ill-prepared; that on the contrary I
you must appreciate his good quail
ties, his good actions, and the best
# his motives, and be prepared to |