Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-04-24
FOREsEEs CRITICISM

this would be a different world
than IL is today.
FOREsEES CRITICISM
81 know I will be severely
criticized by the interventionists
In America when / say we
should not enter a war unless
we have a reasonable chance of
winning That, they. will claim.
IL far too materialistic a view
point. They will advance again
the same arguments that were
used TO persuade France to de-
clare war against Germany In
1899.
But I do not believe that our
American ideals, and our way OF
life, will gain through an unsuc-
cessful war. And i know that
the United States Is not pre-
pared 20 wage war In Europe
successfully at this time. We are
no better prepared today than
France was when the interNen-
tionists In Europe persuaded her
to attack the Siegfried Line.
"T have said before, and 1 Will
saw again, that I believe IT will
be a tragedy TO the entire world
n the British Empire collapses.
That Is one of the main reasons
why I opposed this war before
II was declared, and why i have
constantly advocated a negou-
ated peace.
SAW LITTLE CHANCE
az did not feel that England
and France had reasonable
chance of winning. France has
now been defeated; and, despite
the propaganda and confusion OF
recent months, IL Is now obvi-
Gus that England IL losing the
war.
81 believe this Is realized even
by the British government. But
they have one last desperate
plan remaining. They hope that
they may be able TO persuade
us to send another American
expeditIonary force to Europe,
and to share with England mill
tarily, as well as financially, the
fjasco of this war.
81 do not blame England for
this hope, or for asking for our
assistance. But We now know
that she declared a war under
circumstances which led to the
defeat of every nation that sided
with her from Poland To Greece.
1--WE know that I'm the des-
peration of war Engla
promised to all these nations
armed assistance that she could
not send. We know that she
misinformed them, as she has
mIsinformed us, concerning her
state of preparation, her mill
tary strength, and the progress
of the war.
NO HARSH JUDGMENT
'In time of war. truth il al
ways replaced by propaganda.
do not believe we should be too
quick to criticize the actions of
n belligerent nation. There Is
always the question whether we,
ourselves, would do better under
similar circumstances.
But we i'm this country have
q right to think of the welfare
of America first. Just as the
people In England thought first
of their own country when they
encouraged the smaller nations
OF Europe to fight against hope
less odds.
"When England asks us TO
enter this war. she il consider
ing her own future, and that of
her empire. In making our re-
pIy, I believe we should consider
the future of the United States
and that of the Western Henri
sphere.
OBJECTIVE LOOK AT WAR
cit Is not only our right, but
II Is our obligation as American
citizens to look at this war OBJ
jectively, and to weigh our
chances for success IL we should
enter IL. have attempted to do
this, especially from the stand
point of aviation; and l have
been forced TO the conclusion
that we cannot win this war for
England, regardless of how
much assistance we extend.
81 ask you TO look at the
map of Europe today and see
II you can suggest any way In
which we could win this war II
we entered II. Suppose we had
n large army in America,
trained and equipped. Where
would we send IL to fight?
THE campaigns of the war
show only too clearly how diff
cult 10 Is to force n landing, or
TO maintain an army, on a hos
tile coast. Suppose we took our
navy from the Pacific, and used
IL to convoy British shipping.
That would not win the war for
England. IL would, at best, per-
NIT her to exist under the con-
slant bombing of the German
air feet.
"SuppOse we had an air force
that we could send to Europe.
Where couId IL ODprate? Some