Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-08

banded the essential thesis OF his
only other speech since reelection,
showing more clearly than in the
first one the acute danger to this
country OF a German victory which
would lead to Nazi domination OF
Eurasia and Eurafrica.
He pointed out the extraordinary
and unprecedented power complex
that would be involved-of pop
ulation and resources many times
that Of the entire Western Henri
sphere. and of a Nazi-dominated
Atlantic Ocean.
TIVE observations Of the Presi-
l. dent are the A. B. c. OF
geo-politics, naval defense and
commercial freedom, obvious TO
any student of history. geography
and economics. They involve the
issue for which we fought the war
of independce, the war of 1912
and the war of 1917. They involve
the fundamental and inalterable
truth that the freedom of a ma
ton implies not only its freedom
to live in its own way on its own
soil, but the freedom Of its citi-
zens to travel and conduct their
individual or collective commerce
on equal terms with all other
nations on the international high
ways of the world; namely, the
oceans and their connecting seas.
No generations of Americans
that look beyond their own COM
fort and convenience TO the lives
of their childEen and of Americans
yet unborn can avoid the fearful
responsibility of the issues.
Were there even no theological
concepts involved; were the Ger
man struggle for the immediate
domination of Europe, Africa, the
Near East and the British Empire,
in collision with Japan. a mere
imperialist struggle along tradi-
tional lines, so audaeieus a pro-
gram would Immediately involve
the relative freedom and power OF
the Americas and the United
States.
For. from being the largest
single geographically contained
free-trade and organized industrial
and political area on the planet,
we should become relatively small
nation-relatively small in respect
TO industry. production and mill
tary and naval power.
Even granted that no essential
differences concerning ways of life
as expressed in the political. eco
nomic and social sphere. divided
us from the colossus that would
loom from central Asia to the
Atlantic, the pressure of that
teemingly populated hemisphere
would be upon this one.
And no American government
which failed to meet the issue
could hope to justify its role in
the grandiose history of the
United States of America.
IVES, the issue would be there,
4 even presuming the best pos
sible outcome. even presuming
that the new order of the Eastern
Hemisphere shared. as the British
Empire and commonwealth and
the collective nations of Europe
have hitherto done, almost identi-
cal social-political ideals with our
selves.
The issue would be there If, for
instance, Great Britain were the
aggressor in this war; if Great
Britain were attempting to build
consolidated, British-domi n a d
empire from the British Isles to
Central Asia In combination with
a Japan which hoped to dominate
the Far East and the Pacific.
We could argue that historically
Britain has stood for equality OF
trade conditions and freedom of
the seas, but the Americas could
not contemplate with equanimity
so gigantic consolidation of
power knowing that governments
and their policies change and that
so titanic and monopolistic an area
would sooner or later and inexo-
rably come into conflict with a
relatively small but rich and rela-
lively empty and unexpected
Western Hemisphere.
Were that the policy of Britain.
yes, OF Britain under Churchill.
this column would have been no
less jealous in its warnings 10
America than it has been in all
the years Stnce II began 10 appear.
EOR relations of power. Of popu-
lation and of wealth between
the areas of the earth politically
controlled under single govern
ments determine the personal and
collective freedom, wealth and.
happiness Of the citizens of those
countries, leaving theological CON
sideration completely out OF DC
count.
And the men who carved this
nation out Of a wilderness in only
five generations deserve that their
heirs should preserve and cherish
the power and the freedom that
they gave us and pass it on in
even greater strength and nobility
TO those who ill walk this soil
when you and l are dust.
Nor do / hesitate 10 say that
freedom has often required blood
for its fuel" and will continue u
require ii until that tine when the
human race. adult az last. recog-
nizes the new fact of the world. a