Evening star., 1941-04-15
Book Describes How
EveyCitizen Can Aid
In American Defense
Pershine, in Foreword,
Says Volume Invokes
Spirit of '76 and TT

How every American can aid In
giving this country total defense
swiftly and effectively is described
in a 32-page book called you Can
Defend America" which appeared
today on newsstands all over the
country.
In foreword, Gen. John j.
Pershing, World War leader of the
A. E F., writes:
This little book is aptly titled,
You Can Defend America No pa
triotic citizen can read it without
feeling its inspiration. None can
fail fully to indorse its ultimate OBJ
jective-the preservation of our
precious heritage. 1t invokes the
principles of good citizenship and
the spirit of '76 and IT in this new
emergency confronting our great
democracy. How each of us can do
his part in the home, in industry,
in every walk of life is indicated
clearly and forcefully. I commend
It's message to every American"
Sponsored by Moral Rearmament.
The book is sponsored by Moral
Rearmament. 1t was prepared, the
announcement of its publication eX-
plains, by citizen volunteers as a
national service, in collaboration
with Army and Navy officials and
business and labor leaders. The
book sells for 10 cents and may be
read in II minutes. It's first print
ing is 100000 copies.
In terse, forceful language its
authors call on Americans to unite
above barriers of class, creed or
race to fight against dangers within
which threatens the national life
and make our country vulnerable to
attack from without
Once" they point out. China
built. a wall. She lived behind it.
She laughed at her enemies. She
felt secure. Soon an invader came
from the north. Three times China
found the enemy inside her gates.
They did not storm the wall They
did not 60 around it. They simply
bribed the gatekeepers.
Yesterday France built wall
The Maginot Line. Steel and stone.
She felt secure behind it. She put
her faith in it. Yet France fell
Why? Something was missing.
There was a gap through which an
invader came. That gap was not
only in the wall. 1t was in the spirit
Of the people"
More Ominous Note.
And the book adds, more omi-
nously: To-day America builds a
wall. A ring of steel. Ships and
planes and guns. But is this enough?
Does America have what China
lacked? Does she have total de-
fense?
She builds her wall Does she
build character? Spirit? The will
to sacrifice? Does she build men?
Men who pull together?
Before our eyes the world changes.
Nations collapse. We in America
ask: What can I do?' What can
100000 Americans do? Plenty!"
The book points out that behind
ships, planes and guns stand three
lines of defense-sound homes,
teamwork in industry, a united Ma
ton.
Statements praising the book by
Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd and
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, are
issued by the publishers.
Admiral Byrd said the book
SHOULD fire the hearts of all red
blooded Americans and stir their
wills to action"
This handbook on national de-
tense" Mr.. Green said, with its
challenging foreword by the gen.
eral of the armies, sets forth a
program in which labor can whole
heartedly take part. 1t should do
much to lift our people to a sus-
tanned level of self-giving patriot
ISM"