Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-14
War Drive
Propaganda
Condemned
Critic Denies Following
Fuehrer' Is Patriotic
(The opinions expressed by
General Johnson are not neees-
sariIy those of The Detroit
Times.)
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

W two months ago anybody
had proposed the lease-lend bill
giving the President unlimited
authority to engage in economic
and possible military war
everywhere in the world" to
provide a worldwide bill of
rights for people anywhere in
the world" and whether they
want it or not?
Nobody can say precisely what
would have happened, but the
chances certainly strong
that itrwould not Ven=haNe= had
a hearing. Certainly. earlier, no.
body could have campaigned for
office on such a bill.
What has happened in the
meantime to incite public senti-
ment to entertain such perilouS
course, such a revolution in our
system of government, such an
about totalitarianism in the
United States?
Certainly rot any greater
danger to the belligerent nations
that have our sympathy. There
have been some terrible bomb
ings of cities. but. if anything,
their actual military position has
been much improved.
WHAT has happened is the
w most effective war-bally-
hoo and propaganda headed by
few sincere and masterful but
certainly very rash mel. Over
the air, in the mail. in the
press. their voices for war have
been continuous and many times
the volume of any voice for
caution.
Popular polls have asked hypo-
thetical military questions on
which no mere layman would be
likely TO have the facts and pro-
fessional knowledge to express
any valuable opinion-such as.
do you think Britain will lose
the war. if we do not give her
all aid?"
Lacking access TO any guiding
facts. except the incesSant
haranguing OF the Mar-criers.
who themselves are not much
more competent to give an
opinion. these sample" voters
say yes" in substantial MAORI
ties.
They also say mo" in much
more substantial majorities TO
the question: Shall we 90 TO
war;"
1t is mostly fantastical non
sense, this government by
harangue and unofficial plebis-
cite. but the result is not nom
Sense. 1t is the stark national
tragedy of the lease-lend bill:
subiecting the wealth. the peace
and the welfare of our country
in war TO the discretion of
single man who, with almost
unlimited war powers in the
past for preparation and de-
Tense. has not used them wisely
or wen.
If he had. we should be in no
such panic as we are today
JUST as the public has been
- war-danced and tom-tomed
by equivocal propaganda into
even considering such a bill. so
that bill itself is not candid.
1t would be far better and
more honest to appropriate
$4,000, 100000 10 lend or give
Britain. Greece or China to be
spent here for munitions. than
10 authorize the President 10
engage our entire strength in
arms and resources in economic
war everywhere in the world"
and TO guarantee freedom of
speech and worship and from
want and war anywhere in the
world"
This bill should be debated TO
its bones. IT is fu1l OF jokers.
If these powers are once
granted by a majority vote, it
will take a two-thirds vote TO
get them back. The chances are
they will never be retrieved.
This administration has had
many extraordinary powers per-
sonalized in the President on
the ground of emergency. 1t
never willingly gave up one.
There should be. and / think.
there is little of partisanship in
this debate. but there is or
ought to be plenty of patriot
ism. 1t is not American patriot
ism to follow any fuehrer.
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