Evening star., 1941-04-25


not understood. Indeed the die
tator nations make no secret of
thir plans. They Scornfully state
their ideas, arrogantly confident
that the laW-abiding nations will
not take them SeriOusly-until it
is too late successfully to resist
them.
Attack Justified to COnquerOrs
When Time Is PropitiOus.
Finally, there are those who
sometimes wonder whether aid
to freedom loving nations and a
vigorous policy of defending our
interests will not irritate some
aggreSsor into attacking us. This
theory assumes that a laWless
invader will become "lrritated" il
its intended victim dares to de-
fend itself at the most effective
stage. Under this theory the only
way to avoid giving such 'irrita-
ton" is to submit.
No nation is going to attack us
merely because it is our policy to
defend ourselves. Neither for
that matter, are any aggreSSorS
going to let us alone merely be-
cause We attempt to placate them.
In the philosophy of the con-
querors an attack is justified
whenever and wherever it looks
easy and convenient and serves
their purposes. There is no pos
sible safeguarding our security,
except by solid strength, placed
when and where it is most ef-
feCtive
The best. indeed the only Wav,
of allaying the fears and doubts
and questions of those who are in
anxiety is for us, l30,000,000 of
Americans, to rise in our might
and proceed as one man in the
Herculean task of eouipping this
Nation TO the fullest for its
self-defense. These preparations
should not be for month, or for
year, but they must continue as
long AS our safety is threatened.
The countries that have set
about to impose their rule upon
the world have turned their backs
upon all the ordinary peacetime
ways of work and living. They
dreamed of force. they have
created force, and they are now
using it TO the full. In their
preparations and in their warfare
they have demanded everything
of their peoples. Ordinary family
life, leisure, personal enjoyment,
pursuit of private intereSt-all of
these have been swept aside.
Everything has been given over to
the creation and use to the ut
most of force.
For us. the task of safeguard
ing our security requires the full.
continuous, patrlotically inspired
effort of each and every one of
us. The energies of those who
control the operation of our fac
tories and their machines to-
gether with the labor of those
who make and operate the ma
chimes must be devoted TO the
attainment of maximum produc-
ton. Each and all must work
with sense that what they do or
do not do is important in de-
termlning whether this country
shall be secure. Every part of
our vast productive machine that
can serve to produce military
supplies must be put to that pur-
pose. The desire to continue
ordinary ways of business must
yield to the needs of the crisis.
individuals and groups have no
right at this time to think or act
primarily in terms of their per-
Sonal interest to the detriment of
the general national good.
Propa ganda Machines TRY
To Spread DiSCOuragement.
What We do in the production
of the fighting instruments
needed by ourselves and by the
free countries of the world now
becomes a measure of our intelli-
gence.
There are those who are too
easily discouraged when the news
is temporarily unfavorable. Pow
erful propaganda machines en-
deavor to spread that discourage
ment 1t is not the tradition of
those who love liberty to yield to
encouragement. That is not the
American tradition. Our coun-
try owes its place m history to
the fact that the people become
more reSolute and determined as
danger and difficulty increase.
There can be no temporizing
with laWlessness or with disre-
gard for the elemental rights of
nations and peoples.
Although the task is huge,
though time is pressing. and
though the struggle may continue