Evening star., 1941-01-21
lease-Lend Measure
Discussed by House
Leader on Forum
Mccormack Explains
Purpose Of Bill in
Radio Broadcast

House Majority Leader McCor-
mack of Massachusetts discussed
Our National Defense in the Pres
ent Emergency" in the National
Radio Forum last night. The forum
is arranged by The Star in co-opera-
ton with the National Broadcasting
Co., and is broadcast over a coast
to-coast network. 1t was heard To-
cally over Station WMAL.
The text of Mr.. McCormack's ad-
dress follows:
On September 27, 1910, three pow
erful aggressor nations united in a
formal military alliance. In highly
ceremonial setting at Berlin there
was signed by representatives of
Germany, Italy and Japan treaty
containing a provision to the effect
that if any country not already at
war places obstacles in the way of
the program of conquest of any one
| of the three, those countries will
unite in political, economic and mil
ltary action against such country,
Spokesman Of those countries have
since made clear that this provision
definitely had reference to the
United States. The consummation
of that treaty of alliance did not
produce radically new situation
in the relations of the three parties.
1t simply made clear to the world
the existence of similarity of pur-
pose on the part of those powers.
The signing of the agreement left
no doubt that the world is con-
fronted today not merely with re-
gional or local wars but with an
organized and ruthless movement of
conquest.
Preparations for this program of
conquest have been going on in
those countries for a number of
years. Tremendous armed forces
have been created; huge reservoirs
OF war supplies have been manufac-
tured. Every phase of national life
has been integrated into a highly
regimented and disciplined war
economy. The entire national ac-
tivity has become geared to the
requirements of war preparation. As
a result, formidable military ma
chimes have been built up to carry
forward plans of national leaders
for extensive conquest
Germany Made Assurances.
Nations at peace have been given
assurances by the leaders of these
heavily armed countries that their
territorial integrity would be re-
spected. In the case of GERMANY.
many statements of this nature have
been made. Soon after Chancellor
Hitler came into power he said that
the German people had no thought
of invading any country This was
on May IT, 1888. Two years later
he said that Germany had neither
the wish nor the intention to mix
in internal Austrian affairs or an
mex or unite with Austria.
In 1896 he said that Germany had
no territorial demands to make in
Europe. In 1897 he said that Ger
many was ready to acknowledge and
guarantee Belgium and Holland at
all times as inviolahle neutral ter
ritory. In 1893 Hitler made the
following statement: we want to
live our own life, and We want other
people to do the same. .. We
have assured all our immediate
neighbors of the integrity of their
territory as far as Germany is con-
cerned. That is no hollow phrase:
1t Is our sacred will"
A year later Germany and Den
mark signed an agreement that they
would under no circumstances re-
sort to war or any other form of
violence against each other. On
April g. 1910 Germany gave assur-
ance that she had no intention
through her measures then or in
the future of infringing upon the
territorial integrity or the political
independence of Norway.
1t is hardly necessary for me to
mention how every one of these
promises were broken Germany
absorbed Austria and seized Czecho-
Slovakia. Since the outbreak of the
European war on September l, 1899.
Poland has been devastated and par
titioned. and German military forces
have invaded and occupied Den
mark. Norway, Holland, Belgium and
Luxembourg. The people of the
United States cannot rely on any
promise of Hitler.
Muss0lini's Path.
Hitler's European partner, Musso-
lini, began his program of conquest
when the italian military forces in
vaded and conquered Ethiopia in
1885 and 1886. Italy seized Albania
in 1899. In the summer of 1910
she entered the European war A
few months ago Italy attacked
Greece without provocation.
The unfortunate thing for the
people of Italy is that they have
been hurled into a war for which
they have no desire. Even if Hitler
wins, the Italian people know that
Italy will lose; they know that he
will dominate their country. The
Italian people are opposed to the
paganism which they realize is an
odious part of the Hitler system.
japanese aggressive steps began
in 1881 with the forceful occupation
of Manchuria. Beginning in 1887,
large bodies of her armed forces
invaded China proper and occupied
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