Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-01-01
Distressing Parallels

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THE coming year will continue to present the United
States with very great and grave problems, most of
which are concerned with keeping of and building
adequate national defense
1t will be extremely important year for the Ameri-
people.
If we DO keep out of war and if DO ourselves
for defense adequately there reason why the essen
TALLY democratic and reasonably prosperous way of life
prefer and enjoy will be suppanted by any other less
desirable way of life
In comparative sense the year of 1871 has approxi-
matey the relation American peace and security
as the year of 1916 had during the first World War.
1t will be the second full year of the present conflict
unless peace is concluded before the year runs out
And of course 1916 was the second full year of the
first World War-and incidentally was our last year of
peace.
TWAS in 1916 that we did of the things suf
l fered most>ef the things that later brought into
the war
Our ships were sunk ane-our citizens lost
We loaned great deal of money to the beligerents
We were subjected to intense propaganda7>to the
effect that really the Allies fighting.
And so 1917 found mentally conditioned and emo.
onaly aroused TO enter the war and we DID enter the
Conditions much the
True none of our ships has been sunk-thanks to the
wise Neutrality Act which keeps them out of the war
In consequence our nationals have not been lost
And have not made loans to the Observation-Disclosures
again to the VERY wise Johnson Act which prohibits
loans to nations which did not pay their old war debts;
and all of the present beigerents including those with
which we are sympathetic in that category.
But ARE being subjected to intense propaganda,
to the effect that it is our war.
And we are being mentally conditioned and emotion
ally aroused to enter the war.
7 Unless resist these influences during the coming
~ year with much greater than did in 1916
the United States will probably be the at least
got into the first World War and perhaps much
sooner.
These historical and HISTORICAL parallels
amazing and distressing
Of
New Year if the coming II months to constitute
last year of peace
For however convinced the American people may
be about supposedly vital interest in the present
war they still DO NOT WANT WAR
But they did not want war IN 1916, and even IN 1911
when they finally to they foolish enough
to believe could be conducted with money and NUM-
tons alone and without men.
Most of those who want NOW making the
mistake. So again we have the fatal parallel with
1916.
WYE SHOULD be realistic enough this time to know
w that modern cannot be conducted without any,
body getting hurt We lost thousands of in the first
World War in spite of popular expectation and official
to the contrary. We will lose thousands and
perhaps millions of in the next great get into
These considerations may not be sufficient to keep
out of war.
Perhaps the American people will want in spite
of its cost
Perhaps they will not be dAerred by the prospect
of slaughter, bankruptcy even the destruction of
democracy
But if 1941 is to be last year of peace, 1916
was, let at least know WHAT doing this time
Let us wish for a HAPPY 1941, but let also wish
for peaceful and then perhaps all future years
will be peaceful and happy. That is the kind of future
Americans surely WANT. They still HAVE what