Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-05
Definition
OF 'Defea+is+'
Required
Copperhead Label Held
Unjust to Lindbergh
(The opinions expressed by
General Johnson are his own
and not necessarily those Of The
Detroit Times.)
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

by HUH -. JOHNSON
WASHINGTON, May 5.-This
"defeatiSt' idea of which
the First Lady and others accuse
Colonel Lindbergh tmaybe l
should say Mr.. Lindbergh) re-
quireS a lot of definition.
Who is going 10 be defeated7
The Copperheads said the North
was and we tthe Federals, /
speak for my grandfather on
whose sword is engraved Stand
by the Union) were at actual
war. The only question is not
at this moment where America
is to be defeated. 1t is
whether the British Empire is to
be defeated. Is man a Cop
perhead' to America because he
expresses an opinion on that?
As l understand Lindbergh, he
doesn't think that America can
be defeated if it is promptly
and properly rearmed. Unless
our allegiance has already been
transferred TO an alien nation,
as many in Washington seem to
think, 10 call a man a Copper
head" because he believes and
says that Britain may be de-
feated, is just about the limit of
cockeye. un-American senti-
mcntallSm.
Defeated? What does tn
mean? If it means that England
and all for which she stands is
10 be no more, | don't know
anybody who believes that.
I DON'T want to make any in
vidiouS comparisons among
my contemporary commentators
but, with some little knowledge
of the relative qualifications of
the new and marvellous crop of
So-called experts" who have
capitalized on the public'S thirst
for military and naval advice.
the best and most reliable that
/ know are Constantine Brown
of the Washington Star che
ought to be syndicated). Major
Eliot and Hanson w. Baldwin
of the New York Times, in
respect of whom il would also
he a public service TO make his
comments more widely avail
able.
There is not one NJ them who
believes that England can be IN
vaded now. So far as | can
gather from their writings.
there is none who thinks that
British catastrophes In the Med
iterrancan area. which now
seem very likely. will mean the
end Of the empire. l believe
also that this opinion of the
best independents that we have
is also the conviction of both
our army and our navy high
commands.
This is not 10 argue against
American aid TO Britain in so
far as it strengthens obstacles
between us and Germany or
Japan. 1t is intended merely 10
present A realistic view of what
our own proper course should
be.
TlIIS war is likely 10 end in A
Il stalemate- balance Of
power with the whole world in
an armed camp To deny that
possibility is not defeatism or
10 be a "Copperhead." II is SIM
ply 10 lie. To overlook what
our position must be in such an
outcome is TO stick our heads in
the sand. We must be as strong
as any other contestants. There
is going TO be a settlement of
the worlds affairs at the point
of the sword. We must be in
an armed and armored position
to say: I'VE accept this; we re-
fuse that"
We are in no such position
now. We are not going TO get
in any such position by giving
away our armament and arms
as fast as we make them.
We are not going 10 get that
way by lying 10 the American
people about % what we are
actually doing abroad; % what
our actual performance in re-
armament is at home: 90 what
is our intention and engagement
with other powers before actual
action.
We are being lied to on all
three scores as every informed
observer in Washington knows.
When people begin to talk about
defeatism and improper conduct
of the press. it would be swell
idea for them first to wash
their own hands-to inform the
people honestly, in the first
place, what they mean by de
feat" and. in the second. what
they are doing in private that
any press is misinterpreting in
public.
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