Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-27


and certainly among army and
navy officials would. in the
opinion of most observers, show
a majority opinion that we will
be IN the shooting front of this
war before the Summer is out,
and perhaps much sooner.
OF course no such poll could
or should be taken. except per-
hapS among the newspaper men.
To that extent. the latter state
ment is a guess But IT is good
guess.
WHEN, after talking with doz-
w ems of such people, you can
find nobody of a contrary opin-
ion and nobody who knows of
any important contrary opinion.
il is pretty sure sign that
people of any different belief are
few and far between.
This is a very remarkable situ-
alton, probably without prece-
dent. 1t has been almost an
axiom in the past that you can't
take a democracy into a war
against the will of large seq
ments of its people or that lit
could be done. it ought not to be
done because of the weakness of
disunity.
This principle seems to have
little bearing today. The saying
is:
"Oh, they'll come along. They
did in 1917 when the country
had just voted for Wilson be-
cause he kept us out of war and
when, at the beginning, certainly
half of the people didn't want
war"
That is also a good guess, al
though it is nothing more than
a guess. But Mr.. Roosevelt has
shown more ability to direct
popular opinion than any leader
we ever had, and the past and
probable future sequence of
events has all led or points in
liiG hii SNllOil vi Wal.
THERE is good ground for be-
Il lieving that the present
presidential vacation is to make
quiet surroundings for the crisis
in world affairs that certainly
lies not more than so days
ahead-the tightening blockade
of Britain and the possible as
sault across the channel, Hit
ler's decision about the Balkans,
Japan's decision in the Pacific,
and Russia as TO Turkey and the
Dardanelles.
Never was there more anx-
ious moment.
In the question of ocean con-
voys by our navy of American
financed aid to Britain lies the
surest, swiftest path toward war
for us.
The logic Of the convoy pro-
posal is hard to beat. This vast
armament in our hands is valu-
able for our own defense. In
British hands it aids in our de-
tense.
AT the bottom of the Atlantic
il aids nobody but the NaziS.
Are we spending billions for Hit
Ter to sink
10 4
be seen how much he can sink
without our Intervention. But if
he is even reasonably success
full, what do we do?
Some advocates of conveys
say:
"Oh, we don't need 10 go to
war over the sinking of "A few
escort vessels any more than we
went to war when the Japs de-
strOyed the L. $. :. Panay,"
There isn't much in that. The
Japs claimed that was an acct
dent and Unidentified the loss.
If the Germans fire on our
flag, sink any part of our navy
oAiA MN Jul odiiOlos IL WOtl DG
an accident and can't be dis
avowed. That overwhelming ma
jority against war will begin to
fade out.
Even if 1t doesn't, there is an
other unavoidable angle. If We
attempt to crash the-blockade
:. by sinking German naval ships
or aircraft. Germany can't ignore
that any more than we could.
She would almost certainly
have to declare war on us-and
then the S5 per cen. would
vanish. We would be fighting a
defensive" war and opposition
would be treason.
No. we were in every aspect
OF the war except the shooting
part when the lease-lend bill
was enacted in the form in
which it passed. The next and
last step into bloody war IS in
evitable IT is only a question
of timing and arranging the de-
veloping drama TO get the
maximum Of popular support.