The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-29

Rdson group that is clubbed together in this fellowship of peace. Of1cially, it's spokesmen are Senators Wheeler and Nye, who have been transforming the coun- try and drawing tremendous crowds. Unofficially, 1t has the America First Committee as It's most active element. In Washington 1t has the peace lobby groups, the old Na- tional Council for Prevention of War and the Women's Interna- tional League for Peace and Free dom and kindred organizations, a half dozen of which have formed a Keep America Out of War Con- gress for four-day mass ineet- ing in Washington on Decoration Day week -end. There are indi- , vidualists like Colonel Lindbergh and Sinclair Lewis, General John son and John T. Flynn who are star performers. There is luna tic fringe, including the Cough linites and the Gerald Smith Committee of a Million, which have been showing a new strength under the peace banners of the midwest.
 There is 8 definite effort on the part of all these organizations to keep out the Communists and the Nazis and the Fascists who are all too anxious to see the peace movement succeede in America, though for different reasons. Sen- ator Nye, speaking in Detroit was somewhat set back to find his meeting under the sponsorship Of the Gerald Smith crowd.
 THEY
 POINT TO-
 The belief of all the legitimate peace groups that their cause has a chance is based on number Of contentious:
 Most important is the recent national poll showing that only IT per cent of the people watned to 50 to war.
 Next is a realization that the country is not now prepared for war, and cannot be prepared for another year.
 Third is the fear that the war may end before American aid to Britain can do any effective good This is important, as every Bri- tish defeat swings more of the Undecided" element of the pop ulation inthe peace ranks.
 Fouth is the success of the Wheeler and Nye speeches in arousing people to the dangers of war.
 Fifth is the unwillingness of labor to recognize the danger to their rights in the present emer- gency and make the sacrifices which they might make If the country were actually at war.
 Sixth is 6 belief that the admin istration's new tax program will scare many people away from wars unquestionable cost.
 Seventh is a matter of interpre- tation. The administration has frequently called attention to the apathy of the American people ir this crisis. The peace advocates say "apathy" Is the wrong wort that 1t is in reality coldness and 6 total disinterest in war.
 Eighth is the fact that con. gressmen's mail is again running heavy against war.
 THREE FIELDS
 FOR BATTLE
 All these points are listed her' not to advocate them, but merely tt try to summarize the argumen, from teh peace side. If the peace advocates contention that the coun. try is drifting away from war t true, then the anti-war crowd l,as actually talked the country away from war sentiment while the ad. ministration has merely bernoanet the publics lack of appreciation oi the crisis.
 To overcome that lead, the ad' ministration will have to send 1t best campaign orators into thu field to sell the country on iti policy. These orators will have to do a better job than Hull arlt Knox did in their last speeches and Wendell Willkie's proposed speaking tour for the former William Allen White committed will have to be good to be effec' tive.
 If the cause of non-participatir in the war was not lost with thu passage of the lease-lend bill then there are three last ditchel on which teh issue can be tough in Congress again:
 First is Senator Tobey's resolu. ton to ban conveys.
 Second is the concurrent resolu. ton backed by Senators Nye Wheeler, Capper, La Toilette Clark of Idoha, and Shipstead calling for @ national referendum on the question: "Shall the Con. gress under existing conditions approve the use of land, maya and air forces outside the west. ern hemisphere or the territoria possession of the United State, and appropriate funds necessary for such military and naval oper. ations?"
 Third is the Capper resolution proposing 8 constitutional amend. ment which shall provide for dec. laration of war by national ref erendum only.
 Congress can provide a much better battle on any of those three questions within the next months than 1t could have a month ago.