Evening star., 1941-02-11

statement before the Senate For
eign Relations Committee today:
I am appearing before your COM
mittee today in response to the in
vitation of your chairman and the
suggestion of some of your members.
I am glad to be here to make what
ever contribution I can to the dis
cussion Of the important measure
before you. I come not as an expert
but as one tremendously interested,
as each OF you is, in the vital issues
involved.
Owing to my absence from the
country, have not been able to fol-
low all of the debates on the meas
ure, but such as I have read seem to
me to provide an inspiring example
of democracy at work. This is an
issue in which emotions are natural
ly aroused, and yet, with few excep-
tions, those who have participated
in the discussions, both in Congress
and throughout the country, have
done so without acrimony and with
out personalities. The few lapSes
from that high standard have been
condemned.
1t is important in discussing such
a measure as this. that we be abso-
lutely honest with ourselves. We
must not hide important facts and
we must have the courage TO draw
the proper inferences from the facts.
Democracy cannot live by dodging
around corners. 1t must think
straight and act courageously.
Whatever 1 say today represents my
personal efforts and my honest ap-
praisal of the situation both as to the
facts and the inferences.
A FatefuI Decision to Make.
American democracy has fateful
decision TO make at this time.
feel that perhaps the American peo-
pie have not yet fully grasped the
extent of the crisis. or their re-
sponsibility with regard to it. There
has been too much loose talk about
invasions, too little frank discussion
of the real angers-dangers with
which we are faced and concerning
which we are forced to decide.
In general, two great alternatives
lies before us. ! want TO outline
them briefly. no matter how much
we may dread to choose, choice be-
tween them cannot be avoided
One alternative is the suggestion
that America withdraw within her
self. According to this view. we
should build up our own defenSes
and not concern ourselves with any
one beyond our shores 1t is said
that If we create the strongest
army, the strongest navy and the
strongest air force in the world. no
aggreSsor will ever strike at us and
therefore we will be able TO avoid
war.
But am of the opinion that this
will inevitably result in
the destruction OF our civil liberties,
the loss of our freedom and, event.
ually, war.
For about a decade this country
has maintained its standard of liv-
ing by Federal deficit financing. If
we now lock ourselves up within our
own shores. the need for deficit
will increase. In addition,
the huge expenditures for defense
will perhaps double our debt. The
inevitable result of such a policy
will be a decline in the American
standard of living, the demoraliza-
ton of our economic system and a
of our democratic insti-
Cutions.
Two Results Seen.
At the same time. if we isolate
Britain may have great
difficulty in surviving. No man can
say. at this time. whether or not
Britain can win this war without
our assistance in supplies, ships and
But We do know that
f she is defeated the totalitarian
powers will control the world. They
will control not only Europe. but
also most of Africa. They
may also control the Atlantic
Ocean
Under those circumstances. Ger
many would probably make drive
whether economic or military-on
Latin America: and perhaps Japan
would also make a drive southwark
.oward the East Indies. Thus the
United States and Canada would be
-inged about by totalitarian powers,
Using totalitarian methods of trade,
to the United States. and
not reluctant to fight.
In my view, such calamity would
nave two results. First, in order to
with those powers, we our
selves would have to adopt totali-
,arian controls We would lose our
liberty here at home. But secondly,
[ believe that the United States
would eventually be drawn into war
against one or more Of those powers
Thev would so cramp us and hinder