Askov American., 1941-10-09

direct destruction of the safeguards
of freedom.
"We are on the way to weaken
these freedoms in America-not to
strengthen them.
freedom of speech and expression
are being stifled by war phobia right
now in the United States.
incidentally, there is fifth free
dom. That is economic freedom.
Freedom for men to choose their own
callings, to accumulate property in
protection of their children and old
age, freedom of private enterprise
that does not injure others. The other
four freedoms will not survive this
one.
"And listen, my countrymen, to
another voice of experience. Free
dom from want was never won by a
war.
"The last world war cost us forty
billions in debt and taxes in three
years. Since then we have paid
another forty billions in interest and
in support of its disabled, its widows,
orphans and veterans"
The former president insists that
if there is to be declaration of war
it must be by Congress. Hitler has
kindled behind himself a consuming
fire of hate, and there are other ways
than going into this war to secure
roDor,<;o, for froncorocc;on ~ o,,r
just rights and respect for them. He
sums up in these six paragraphs:
l. If we prepare we cannot be
invaded nor our economic life be
dangerously impaired.
2. England can prevent invasion
of her shores if we give her the
tools, and even warships, without
our sending our boys to death, either
on ships or land.
3. Hitler is on the way to be
crushed by the vicious forces with
in his own regime.
4. We have proved, by bitter ex-
perience that it is futility for us
to try to impose freedom and justice
upon the world by war.
S. The ideas apd ideals of the
West can grow and spread abroad
by our demonstration in our own
country. They will die in the world
if the freedoms shall become weak
ened or die in America.
g.. To send our sons into this war
must also be weighted in the scales
of future America. Should we not
weigh in this scale the dead and
MANNED? Should we not weigh the
third of underfed, undernour-
ished, underhoused, undereducated
Americans for another generation that
will be inevitable? Should we not
weigh the loss of our own freedoms?
"And where do these facts, reasons
and conclusions point? What is the
constructive policy for America? Is
it isolation? Is it Intervention? Mel
ther is possible. Neither is wisdom, "
states Mr.. Hoover. He concludes:
eve must have impregnable de-
fense. We must give the tools of de-
fense to the democracies. That is not
isolation. We can do our greatest serv-
ice to civilization by strengthening
here in the western hemisphere free
institutions and free men and women
That is not isolation. It is service
to all mankind.
"But to send our boys out to kill
that is Intervention.
"We hear much urging to national
unity. We could easily get unity
eff we stopped calling names.
eff we directed our preparedness
policies to the minimum interfer-
ence with economic freedom.
eff we gave aid to democracies
alone of Europe and Asia, and gave
it generously.
eff we stopped provocative steps
that may take our sons into war.
eff no war-like step be taken and
no agreement be made that is not
submitted to the Congress. If the
Congress decides for war then we
accept it.
81 believe real unity can be had
among the American people in these
proposals.
"Let us never forget we came over
the ocean to this oasis of liberty. We
extended this oasis greatly by mighty
streams of freedom. They were dug
and builded by the toll of our fathers
and defended with their blood. Are
we now to march out into the desert
of European war and see the wells
of freedom dried up behind us?"