The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1941-02-06
An Open Letter To
President Roosevelt
Dear Mr.. President:

DcdI VII Noi~Shs
The other day you took your third oath OF office
as President of the United States. ] did not listen
because my heart fails me every time l recaii that
twenty-four million Americans could hgntiy cast a.
side a precedent more than a century ana a nan IN
the making and | could hardly bear the thought Of
your taking office again. But there was one mere IN
Summit who listened and VINO aomires you
in many WAYS but who found something strangely
and sadly lacking in your inaugural ADDRESS Our
local Baptist minister commented SUNDAY morning
from his pulpit that you in no way Appeared = 1oi
for guidance in the crisis that faces you Ano' as
he so wisely pointed out, the tendency TO-DAY is to
rely on mans wisdom, rather than Gods. he said,
III only our national leaders would rely more on
divine guidance" uf
Now. don't get the idea that I'm a religious fan
attic because Pm quoting this minister. I'm NOT In
Just q small town country editor very, very
insignificant , but ! know there was truth IN
what he said. And | wonder, Mr.. Roosevelt, if things
wouadn,t he a bit different if we looked at them
from where God sits, rather than from where we SIT,
If we were sitting where God sits, don't you
imagine we'd see that the war started because from
an economic standpoint the aftermath of
World War No. l the German people were lost,
defeated. hopeless; that they didn't know where tn
go or what to do; that, filled with bitterness OF spirit
and broken in pride but not courage, they decided
to follow this mailman who rose among them 70
challenge again in the most masteriui taha
dastardly) strategy the world has even seen
the world itself? Don't you suppose God would look
down upon them in infinite pity and tenderness, re-
cognizing that their purpose had some small merit
although their methods, so cruel and vicious and
dastardly, had none? Il
If we were sitting where God sits, don't you
imagine we'd feel the same glow Of satisfaction we
now feel in watching the British guard their be-
loved England? Don't you imagine we'd thrill to
their courage and the valiant spirit that lives within
Englishmen today? Don't you imagine we'd appreciate
Ala <Srx that - fhoir hnur nf StraSS and horror. thew
had turned, as a nation, to God, even as Germany
has apparently turned aWsyI
On the other hand, don't you imagine We could
see the German hearts that kneel, day and night,
in prayer for peace and the end Of the horror that
rides the beloved "Fatherland"? Hitler may control
the bodies but he cannot control the hearts and
souls, you know.
Then, don't you imagine that, from where God
sits, we could see America Britain's one chance
of victory promising, promising but never
giving quite enough? We'd see that the American
people want to help Britain, yes but wouldn't
We see among the American people a lot of confused
thought a lack of knowledge concerning what
this is all about? :. And wouldn't we want to reach
out to America and whisper:
Here's you chance, America. So much depends
on you here. If Germany wins, you're sunk, from an
economic standpoint. If Britain wins, where are you:
England will thank you for what aid you have given,
but England will remember, too, to cry out, why did
" q 81 iOhE W nSAfs ~ " q 6FSh ~ "
help, earlier, we could have won the war sooner
But will England long remember the favor You
have done her? No, because England has sold herself
on the idea that she is fighting Americas battle as
well as her own and whatever America does for her,
she feels to be her just due.
"An right, then, What should be Americas stand
in tk..s matter? America today holds the club that,
handed to England. will defeat Germany. BUT is
THIS WHAT fOU WANT? Do you want to 90
back to the same agreements made at Versailles
=. admittedly the cause Of this war? DO you want
to go back to the'old way, each nation for itself, and
open the door to more wars, growing increasingly
savage and barbarous with the increase Of scientific
knowledge? Only God knows what a war twenty
years hence will mean.
America, Pm telling you today that this is your
chance to act as peacemaker. No, not by appease-
ment. That would be a Hitler victory. Germany
has forced England to put her hand to the plow
and now the row must be finished. We must help
her finish it because our economic salvation depends
upon it. U AMERICA, o A DEMAND OF
ENGLAND CERTAIN PROMISES IN EXCHANGE
O III HELP YOU RENDER You can say to
her, Now, when the war is over, you must promise
that we will meet this problem sanely and justly, re-
eognizing that each country is entitled to certain
things. Let US make the world safe, not for demo
eracy. but for every nation to live peacefully and
tremendously in the manner of living that best suits
it. II we are to be the instrument Of British victory,
shall We not say what is right and just for other
nations? Are we not entitled to a big voice in the
administration Of justice to the nations Of Europe?
Mr.. President, I submit that this is Americas
chance to be of real service to the whole world. Let
US not muff the glorious opportunity that is ours. |
believe that England, too, has learned a lesson dur
ing this war a lesson badly needed and
she will doubtless rise justly and magnificently
to the occasion. She should, Mr.. President, if we do
our part. But our part, as / said at the beginning
of this letter, must be based upon Gods guidance
and surely His guidance would take cognizance
of justice and the rights of each separate nation
not merely the rights of England and America.
Let US not be selfish and blind. Our sanest. clearasl