Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-29
Critics Of National POLICY
Give Up Too Soon
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

ton to defend ourselves.
Recently one of the most CO.
gent. disinterested and powerful
Of these voices has declared it.
self out of this argument:
IF for anything you could do
about II, your country never
theless becomes involved In
war, where are YOU going To
stand: We have said that
II war comes we should he found
supporting the government that
got us into It,"
THIS column has also said
i that. 1t says it again.
On every single proposal TO
make this country invincible-
recognition and condemnation
of the German menace, total
land. naval and aerial rearma-
ment. complete and efficient in
dustrial and man-power mo-
bilization. establishment OF out
lying bases and preparation for
hemisphere defense--it has not
merely followed this adminlstra-
ton. it has been years and years
ahead Of il.
Even as 10 such decisions as
the lease-lend bill in the form
in which it passed. il has de-
bated them but accepted and
supported them when passed.
II has criticized the blind
moves of war and diplomacy in
which we dabbled in European.
power politics-every one now
proved on the record 10 have
been a tragic blunder
1t has protested the equally
laundering and ill-informed adj
ministration of industrial mobll-
Ization.
THE cogent voice first men,
l. toned. which is the edi-
torial page Of the Saturday Eve
ming Post, has a somewhat SINH
lar record and philosophy.
Now, however. as l understand
IT, the Post feels that the die is
cast for an about American en-
gagement in a foreign war TO re-
conquer the continent Of Europe
and that il can no longer pro-
test or argue against il.
Considering the Posts past
sincerity and courage, no one
can question its sincerity and
courage now. but there is room
10 debate its reasoning. as l
think there is room TO debate
any government reasoning along
the same line.
The Posts reasoning is that
the American government has
written that goal on the Amer
lean banner" - committed this
country to that Herculean task
that small European countries
have relied upon il and that
there can be no hating or turn
ing back from il, because Amer
lean honor is so engaged.
WHO engaged il?
w Ambassador Bullitt. encour-
aging France to declare war ?
This government never acknowl-
edged that.
Was il towing, unofficial Wild
Bill Donovan or our Balkan am
bassadors encouraging Greece
and Yugoslavia to their fall?
If il was. they and the world
were on notice of what the ad-
ministration had repea [ g dly
promised the American people
about engaging in foreign wars.
On top OF that. they and the
world were on notice. by con-
spicuous example, that no such
ambassadors, official or unoffl-
cial. not even President, could
commit the American people to
such things without their con-
sent through their representa-
tives in Congress.
President Wilson s heart
breaking failure TO commit his
country even after a victorious
war and his own signature on
the protocol for the league
shows that, and the whole world
knows il.
No such words are inscribed
on "the American banner" be-
cause the only hands authorized
TO do ii have not written.
IN THE surge and sway of the
Il great contest in Europe, il
becomes less and less likely that
we could ever engage there with
any hope of its reconquest and
without futile and insane slaugh-
ter and Illustration.
Our government would never
permit that. Even the most
fervent interventionist would
not urge that.
believe that every step of
the administration, howeve
much in error, was taken with
only one purpose-to defend this
country and not to destroy II.
In this view / do not believe
that any die has been cast or
anything written on any Amer
lean banner" that forecloses de-
bate Of any further laundering
steps down that pathway TO de-
Struction.