The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-09-25
(Bv Staff Writer)


comment Of a large number OF
people, including many congress
men quoted in the newspapers,
has been, "His talk was practl-
callv declaration of war"
One congressman is known to
have made that or a similar COM
ment following nine different
statements of the Presidents. But
in each case, after the spell cast
bv the Presidents voice has fad
ed away and his talk is analyzed'
it is evident that, although he is
determined to see that Hitler IS
defeated, he still is wording his
talks to avoid a state OF actual
war. ,.
In his most recent talk to the
nation for example, when ne
made it clear to Germany that
our ships would shoot first at any
German ships sighted on the At
lantic, he said: "It is no act OF
war on our part when we decide
to protect the seas that are vital
to American defense. The agrees
sion is not ours. Ours is solely de-
fense."
The President has stated our
policy from now on will be to
"protect all merchant ships en-
gagged in commerce" His policy
in regard to this was clearly stat
ed when he said:
"No act of violence will keep
us from maintaining intact two
bulwarks of defense: first, our
line of supply to the enemies of
Hitler, and, second, the freedom
of our shipping on the high seas.
From now on, if German or 1tal-
ian vessels of war enter the wa
tiers, the protection of which is
necessary for American defense,
they do so at their own peril"
Although it is easy to interpret
that statement as almost amount
ing to declaration of war, we'll
known Washington correspondent
seemed to hit the nail on the head
when he said: \
"Why do we have to try to ex-
tend the Presidents statements?
He has said that our ships on the
Atlantic will defend themselves
by shooting first. His explanation
of that was clear and understand
able. But he points out that it
isn't war. So why do we have to
try to say it is war? We may say
that it invites war or that it is
step toward war, but in defining
what we actually are doing we
might as we'll use the terms the
President himself uses rather than
try to tack the war label on ev-
cry act"
There are many in Washington
who feel that the Presidents
speech was merely a matter OF
informing the public about what
we actually have been doing on
the Atlantic for several months.
The action of our navy on the At
lantic has naturally been kept
very secret and it may be that we
have been shooting first" when
it seemed necessary for some time
past. That of course is guesswork,
but there are many well-lnforned
men here who make that particu-
lar guess.
Aside from the Presidents
speech and the reaction of every
one to it, the most talked over
subject here recently has been
the senate committee hearing to
determine whether the moving
picture industry should investi-
gated for producing films aimed
at rousing us ''to state of war
hysteria." Although those who IA
vor such an investigation consist
largely of the leading isolationists
in the senate, the case has been
given much attention because
Wendell Willkie, last years Re-
publican candidate for President,
is handling the defense of the mo-
vie interests. The isolationist COM
mittee claims that the movies Of
fer no opportunity to spread their
views to the American people but
has produced numerous films
which it claims are produced as
propaganda for getting us into
war. Among the films named are
such well-known ones as 'The
Hamilton Woman" 'The Great
Dictator" 'Manhunt," "Convoy,"
Escape" and 81 Married a Nazi."
In defending the stand of the
movie industry, Mr.. Willkie said:
"The motion picture industry de-
spises the racial discrimination of
Naziism. We make no pretense of
friendliness to- Nazi Germany nor
to the detectives and goals of this
ruthless dictatorship"
Mr.. Willkie has also come into
the imelight here by his state
ment that he will work in the
oono;nr o1oc+ihn for. Rnnl1h1ican