The Sauk Centre herald., 1941-11-27
Text of
Hooyer's
Chicago Talk

OAAA>~So AA
Chicago-Text Of address by Her
bert Hoover prepared for delivery
before the Union League club here
Wednesday night follows:
This Union League club of Chi
cago was founded in the midst
of a supreme crisis in our country
Its fidelities have never deviated
from the American system of free
men. It is appropriate that we
here discuss another supreme cris-
is in freedom.
I do not know whether we arc
at war or not. 1t depends on how
we define war.
It is said that in ancient Chinese
strategy every battle opened with
three preliminary rounds. The first
was violent making of faces at the
enemy. The second was period
of devastating cat-calls. The third
was a menacing display of arms.
We are at least in the third stage.
This may be half war, it may be
undeclared war, it may be just
naval action" The congress has
not declared war. We have not
terminated our treaties with Ger
many. We maintain our embassy
in Berlin, and the Germans main
tain their embassy in Washington.
From these aspects we are not at
war. That may be wishful think
ing, because I wish that If we de-
eide on war that we march openly
under the Constitution of the Unit
ed States.
I have opposed a shooting war
because I believe it endangers free
dom in the United States. I be-
lieve it endangers freedom in all
the world. And I believe alterna-
tive policies would have brought
more aid to Britain.
The hard practical fact is that
we are engaged in a naval war.
This creates a new situation In
national action. From here we will
ultimately face a further question.
That is, shall we send expedition
ary forces to Europe or its SUBJ
urbs?
Some will say that the possibil-
ity of sending our land armies in
to this European maelstrom is fam
tastic. Six months ago when
stated our national policies were
heading for a naval war the idea
was also called fantastic.
The preliminary demand is likely
to be for an expeditionary force
to Persia or Egypt or some other
place in the suburbs of Europe.
Already the propaganda agencies
are blurting it out. Already press
dispatches from abroad indicate it
Already officials are making the
same sort of statements that an
tecede our going into naval action
And what is more, we a."e pre-
pairing vast amount 0e war mater
ial, the only use of which would
be for some sort of an expedition.
ary force.
It may be that the men in con.
troll of our government have nc
present intention of sending ou,
sons overseas But there are forces
which drive this nation toward
such action.
The dangers to the United States
and England from Europe are less
than they were a year ago. Yet
during this past year we have seen
a steady rise of war psychosis
among our people.
Some of it's comes naturally from
our dangers and our indignations
and our desire to serve mankind.
The daily presence of Hitler's
bloody aggressions feeds the fires
of resentment enough without stim-
ulants.
But these emotions are being ar
tificially famed daily by organized
groups, by official propaganda and
through a thousand devices and
hundreds of thousands of voices.
We even see Stain being made in
to a saint.
And the forging of links of the
chain of emotion which drag us to
war is fired by forces even stronger
than words. For instance, Ameri-
can ships were transferred to the
Panama flag and put to carrying
contraband. Six of them were
sunk, and we are called upon to
fight because Of these incidents.
Our navy has been conveying
British ships to Iceland. Our war
ships are torpedoed, and American
lives are lost. The death of the
neutrality act means that our naval
operations will be greatly extended.
Our American merchant and war
ships will be going to Britain.
There will now be more and more
American ships torpedoed, more
American boys drowned, more and
more drive Of emotion toward send
ing armies to Europe.
If we send an expeditionary force
even to Africa or other outlaying
parts of this war, we shall have
from it flaming of emotions from
death and sorrow.
And a people can be so inflamed
that it's own leadership is power
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