Evening star., 1941-08-16
Py the Associated Press.

ddQreSS LQSL nlgHL Og OecTeLuTy
of War Stinson to the soldiers
of the Army:
On the request of the President,
the Congress has now passed bill
which will extend the period OF
service for many of the men In the
Army. The members of the Ma
tional Guard and the Officers' Re-
serve Corps as well as the men in
Quoted under the Selective Service
Act, who were all originally called
for a years training. under this bill
may be retained In the Army for an
additional period of not to exceed
18 months.
realize that this means sacrifice
on your part and it is proper that I,
as head of the War Department,
should state to you the reasons why
it has been found necessary.
An American Army is an intelli-
gent army. Its discipline is based
upon cooperation. 1t is not an army
hammered into efficiency merely by
brute force. 1t does its work more
efficiently If 1t knows the cause for
which 1t is created and the reason
for the sacrifices which it is asked
to make.
Fine Spirit Praised.
I also know of the fine spirit
which you. the members of this
present army, have already shown
and the devotion which you have
given to your training thus far.
sometimes under very discouraging
circumstances. I have been much
gratifled by what I have learned of
your work and conduct. believe
that out of your devotion there is
being created the most effective
fighting force which this country
has ever known in time of peace.
Therefore for all these reasons I
regard 1t as a privilege to talk to
you today.
In my talk I shall try to describe
to you briefly these points: First,
the crisis which makes necessary
Americas present preparation for
defense; second, the general prin-
ttblCo Vi Jul lldblOlldl uclcIlSt, anu
third, the vital part which you as
the Army must be ready to play in
that defense.
Perils That Face U. S.
In TIE first place, the world is
today facing a situation which is
more dangerous TO its general peace
than any situation which has ex-
listed during all the years of re-
corded history. Three great and
powerful nations, Germany, Italy
and Japan, each of them armed
with the most modern and de-
structive weapons, have banded
themselves together upon a scheme
OF conquest against their more
peaceful neighbors. Within the past
seven years these three nations
have successfully attacked and con-
quered some Is other nations. Ger
many has conquered Austria.
Czecho-Slovakia. Poland, Denmark,
Norway, Holland, Belgium. Luxem-
bourg, France, Yugoslavia, and
Greece. Today she is seeking to
conquer Russia. Italy has attacked
Ethiopia, Albania, France and
Greece. Japan has attacked China
and Is now taking possession of
French Indo-China.
Neither Germany. Italy, nor ia
pan believes in individual freedom
within their own borders, nor do
they believe in national independ-
ence among nations outside of their
borders. Their avowed principles
are the opposite of those principles
OF liberty and equality of rights
along which the world has been
continually progressing for many
centuries past. They are seeking to
turn back to the customs of the dark
ages and they are enforcing upon
the nations which have been un-
fortunate enough to fall under their
power, systems of forced labor and
suoJectlon which substantially
amount to a condition of semi
slavery.
France Was Skeptical, Too.
1t is hard for us to imagine the
United States in such a condition
OF subjection. But two years ago
such a contemplation would have
been just as hard for the citizens of
france. France had been the leader
In the development of freedom in
Europe ever since the French Rvo-
luton $50 years ago. Yet today
france is subject nation. German
overlords pull the strings and
French puppets dance. France Is
dlsarmed. France is policed by for
elgn secret agents. Free speech is
memory in France. French busi-
ness has been taken under German
direction. Frenchmen are told bv
foreign rulers when to go to bed
and when to get up. French profits,
French foodstuffs, French energy,
are now going to build up the glory
OF the German Reich. Children will
starVe In France this winter and
French peasants who reap good
crops will live on a crust in order
that the German Army may be fed.
France is prison house, thin
shadow of a glorious but unprepared
nation which failed to see the danger
approaching it from across the
Rhine. And these conditions of
subJection which are now main
tanned in France are mild in COM
parison with the brutalities which
are being visited upon Poland, Yugo-
slavia and Russia.
Nazi Advance Agents in Americas.
Today these three Axis nations,
Germany, Japan and Italy, openly
announce their intention of going
further with their conquest of the
world, Indeed they can hardly help
themselves from going further.
They have made themselves the
economic slaves of the hideous sys-
tenn which they have established
For example, Germany, with an
original population of not more thar
10000, 900, Is maintaining military,
naval and other armed forces of
over 100000 men besides huge
civilian bureaucracy of secret police
and other functionaries. Seventy
five per cent of her entire income
is going into war, leaving only Is
per cent for all of the needs of her
civilian r,op,,lat tjop She iS carry.