Evening star., 1941-08-10
Two Churchill Remarks Augur
Drastic Changes for America
Prime Minister Goes Further Than President, Sees
Nation Advancing Toward War With
Remuneration Increasing
By Felix VI orley.

In his latest speech to the House of
Commons. defending the record OF his
government against charges that 1t Is
not achieving the attainable maximum
IN war production, Prime Minister
Churchill made two observations of eX-
ceptional interest to American readers.
One of these was the statement: The
United States, the greatest single power,
is giving us aid on a gigantic scale and
Is advancing in rising wrath and con-
viction to the very verge of war"
The other remark of peculiar i'm
pressiveness was: "Thess are no doubt
number of minor aspects of our national
life which have not yet been effectively
regimented, but when and as they are
wanted their turn will come"
Though widely separated in the text
of Mr.. Churchill's S speech of July % there
Is nevertheless, for this country, strik-
ing relationship between these two state
ments. The first remark sums up the
British belief that the United States is
moving rapidly into active belllgerency.
The second observation sounds implicit
warning as to the social and economic
consequences which Americans can and
should expect once shooting war" be-
gins
Guns and Butter Jibe Perishes.
There was time, not very long ago,
when the slogan guns instead of but
er" aroused many wisecracks at Ger
man expense. This NaZi edict, issued by
Marshal Goering to epitomize the pur-
pose of the five-year plan which he di-
rected was said to illustrate both the
harsh discipline of German economy and
the socially undesirable effects of totali-
tartan doctrine.
Both criticisms were richly justified.
But with silk stockings rapidly disap-
pearing from our stores and with the first
tentative limitations on the sale OF gaSo-
line already in effect the guns VS.. butter
jibe seems somehow to have lost lot OF
its humor. That change in outlook
however, does nothing to minimize the
force of Mr.. Churchill's brusque warning
TO such British industries as have not
yet been socialized. when and as they
are wanted their turn will come"
This warning by the British Prime
Minister to his own people would have
less applicability for Americans if Mr..
Churchill were not simultaneously GER
tain that this country lis advancing
to the very verge of war" Considering the
authoritative source, it seems rather sur
prising that this statement has received
ooy,f IL, tha American
Goes Further Than the President.
Although largely overlooked, the state
ment is in several respects startling. In
the first place, it goes further than any
report with respect to our foreign policy
which President Roosevelt has yet made
to Congress. And it is certainly unusual
to have British Prime Minister give
Parliament information about American
policy which the President has not di-
vulged to his own Legislature.
Mr.. Roosevelt has never said publicly
as did Mr.. Churchill, that the United
States ''is advancing = = = to the very
verge of war" On the contrary, he has
been most careful to emphasize that
every step taken is of purely defensive
character, designed to ward off possible
aggression against America by Germany,
Italy or Japan, but in no case an inten-
tional advance toward war on our part
Thus, in explaining the occupation OF
Iceland to Congress, a few days before
Mr.. Churchill's speech to Parliament,
President Roosevelt said that: THE
United States cannot permit the occupa-
ton by Germany of strategic outposts
in the Atlantic to be used as air or naval
bases for eventual attack against the
Western Hemisphere"
Three Assumptions Made.
This explanation made three separate
assumptions. First, that Germany pro-
poses to occupy strategic outposts in the
Atlantic. Second, that If occupied, these
outposts would be used as air or naval
bases. Third, that if so developed it
would be for the purpose of attacking
the Western Hemisphere.
But while these assumptions are
broad they are not broad enough to
justify Mr. Churchill's conclusion that
the United States is not merely prepar-