Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-04-15
By HUGH =. JOHNSON

L paradox the battling be-
wildermcnt Of the mass OF sin
cere. honest and patri otic
people is 50 strange. so clearly
without precedent. that I think
it is The number one news story
of our time.
The paradox Is that. while So
odd per cent of our people are in
deadly opposition 10 our mixing
in foreign wars a majority AT
least. are complaeent 10 every
step of this administration that
leads US closer TO that inevitable
end.
One reason that I took
week off 10 60 to the Pacific
Coast was that l had been told
that, while a great majority Of
opinion in the MddleweSt is
against our participation and
even against steps leading IN
that direction. mitch stronger
faction in the extreme West, as
in the extreme East, IS OF con-
trary mind.
To put it shortly and hluntly
it simply IS not true If any
thing the vision on the Pacific
Coast is AS clear. if not clearer,
than that in Chicago the me-
tropohS of the great valley and
that is clear enough.
A I'D 10 stop Hitler by helping
\ to keep a fight going on be-
tween US and him? There is
hardly voice raised in oppo-
Sition, Going farther to engage
in methods not short of war
it is my observation that there
/ is hardly a voice raised in sup
port.
Yet it is becoming clearer
daily TO this great inarticulate
popular mind that methods
short Of war" that are being
used are. as the great palladium
of American democracy. Wendell
Willkie. described them, Just
campaign oratorys'
Every day. every act Of gov
eminent. reveals more clearly
that this is the greatest gold
brick ever sold to a hick coun-
try.
We are "hell-bent for war,
not on a wave of public opinion,
bun as an act of administrative
Sleight of hand.
As were some other cynical
triflingS by our present govern
ment with the faith and loyalty
Of American public opinion
which which were frustrated by
our own guile, this is clever. but
too damned clever slick. but
too damned slick
On WHAT does such grudgng
" success as it has had rest2
As far AS one man can. | have
tried 10 inquire. Briefly. and
perhaps with too much generali-
zation, and simplification, on
three Sloganeering propositions.
First, that the peace of the
Western Hemisphere has de-
pended on the British navy
Second that the Monroe Doc
trine is a Gift Of the British
Empire and has been possible
only by reason of our dependence
on Britain TO support IT.
Third. that America cannot
live in international trade COM
petition. with a Germany domi-
mated by Hitler that he will
abolish gold and establish bar
ter of goods produced by slave
labor as a medium of exchange
IN international tidOc
These three things have been
Sloganeered by radio TO such an
extent that they alone seem 10
be The whole basis for such sup.
port As there is 10 our intini-
tesimal minority var party.
\S HAS been repeatedly
y pointed out here. and with
greater force elsewhere me first
and second arguments are
>uch peversionS of historical
fact that the simplest rceounung
OF the record of things past. is
sufficient 10 explode them
But the third and most fire.
quently repeated the "inlcrna-
tional trade and exchange ar
gument-iS what Mr.. Justice
Holmes used TO call an Infer
ence OF the unseen a prophecy
a philosophical deduction.
There is not enough space
here 10 discuss il. bur to hear
simple loyal people hopclcSsly
advancing it and then admitting
that they know DO more about
international trade and finance
than a hog knows about heaven.
rs proof enough Of the distance
which this sloganecring propa-
g3hda has gone /
Since TINS >canS 10 my tho