Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-05-24

have We been given the oppor
tunity to vote on the policy OH
government has followed7 No. w
have been led toward war agains
the opposition Of four-ffths of on
people.
NO CHANCE TO VOTE
I We had no more chance 20 vote
on the issue of peace and war las'
T November than If we had been ir
a totalitarian state ourselves. We
in America were given just about
as much chance 10 express our be-
liefs AZ the election last Fall as
the Germ-As would have beer
given IL Hitler had run against
Goering.
This state OF affairs should
make every American-even the
Observation-Disclosures and think
before we plunge blindly into a
second World War There are many
interventionists who actually be-
lieve that by going to war we can
strengthen democracy throughout
the world, and with il all the CIV
ilized virtues which we in this
country support.
These people overlook our fail
ure in the last war Ito make the
world safe for democracy They
overlook the persecution and the
intolerance which followed that
war in Europe. They do not seem
TO realize that the elements they
dislike in Germany lie beneath the
surface of every nation; that they
are here in America just as they
are in Europe. and that nothing is
as likely 10 bring them out as war
especially a prolonged war.
/ opposed this war before il was
declared because I felt II would
be disastrous to Europe. I know
that England and Franc were not
in a position to win. and did not
want them TO lose. I now oppose
our entry into the war because I
do not believe that our system of
In America, and our
way of life. can survive our par
ticipation. And here / address a
plea to any interventionists who
may be listening to me tonight.
ask them to consider what pro-
longed war will bring. ask them
to consider what the last war
brought to Europe-to Russia, to
Italy, to Germany. and now to
France and even the smaller coun-
tries.
FACE DIFFERENT WAR
I ask them TO remember that
we in America returned from that
war with the loss of relatively few
soldiers, but that now we face a
war In which our losses are likely
to run into the millions, and in
which victory itself is doubtful.
/ ask them to stop and consider
whether democracy, tolerance, and
our American way of life are
likely to survive in such a strug-
gle Or may we not find conditions
as bad or worse in America after
a war. than they are in the die
tatorships of Europe today?
1t is all very well 10 shout for
war, to say that aggression must
be stopped, that our ideals of de-
must be preserved all
over the world. But when the
shouting is over. then we will be
faced with the reality OF war.
Some one must lay plans for in
vading Ger many for invading
Japan. for invading possibly Rus
STA, France, Italy, and Spain as
we'll.
Some one must do the fighting;
some one the dying. When we
turn from sentiment and emotion
10 reality and action, the task we
face is staggering.
UNPREPARED FOR WAR
We find ourselves unprepared
for war. about TO enter an action
that will require us TO cross two
oceans and 10 invade nations with
a far greater population than ours,
nations with armies that have
been trained for years, armies that
have been hardened by generations
Of warfare. armies that are larger
now than ours can ever be.
We find ourselves in a position
where we would have 10 force
landings on hostile coasts against
The prepared positions Of the
strongest military powers in the
world.
Does any one think that dcmoc-
racy can survive a conflict such
as this will bring Does any one
think that freedom can exist even
in America If We are forced into
such a war;
The United States is a nation of
mixed races, religions. and beliefs.
We came from ever part Of
Europe and from every portion Of
y = earth Here. in this country.
we have learned 10 live peacefully
together. Here we have developed
A racial tolerance such as the world
has never known before. Here we
have developed 2 civilization in
many ways never previously APP
preached.
WHY JEoPARDIZ- THIS?
Why must all this be ieopardized