Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-20
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

OF COURSE we are in this
war. We haven't reached
The shooting stage but that is
because it is not yet good policy
to reach it. If Japan lives up to
ner treaty obligations with Ger
many and Italy then for us to
begin shooting would give us a
"two-ocean war with a one
ocean navy
1t isn't good policy to start
that before it is necessary. That
is one reason why we haven't
gone further.
Another reason is that Russia
also is still on the fence. While
that is not so Immediately i'm
portant, we can better use what
ever influence or persuasion we
have with her while we are
technically at peace.
Finally. except for our navy,
we are long way from being
ready to start shooting war.
With the powers now at the
Presidents command, he can
make us just as effective, at
this state of the game. without
shooting.
There are many other reasons
but those are enough. The point
is that administration policy is
clearly to do whatever it takes
to save not merely England, but
the British empire.
Thus far there has been
presented to the country no pro-
posal of engagement in about
war. but what was presented
and approved in the lease-lend
bill was an engagement in war
which, at the present moment,
is perhaps at least as effective
and certainly wiser than an out
right declaration of war.
THIS column supported aid to
L England "as far as it shall
contribute TO the defense of the
United States and shall not in
volve this country in bloody
war-and not one inch further"
. The Lease-Lend Act contains
nothing of either restriction but
neither it is an authority for
bloody war. AS matters now
stand, at least. this column does
not believe that it would be
any part of either wisdom or
prudence for us to engage in
outright combat.
1t has been years ahead of
this administration in urging
about rearmament and prep
aration for both industrial and
man-power mobilization but not
for frittering away our strength
in warlike foreign adventures.
1t is convinced. however. that
it is the duty of everybody to
unite in support of policies duly
Congress. as was the lease-lend
bill, after the orderly American
processes of democratic debate
and decision.
l believe that questions not
yet so decided. such as further
steps toward outright war, are
still debatable especially in view
of the many assurances given by
this administration to the coun-
try.
However, as for the vast
powers and authorities granted
to the President in House bill
1776 and in earlier measures for
our. own rearmament, the thing
for everybody to do is TO unite
and make them effective.
IT HAS been said that too
L much critical emphasis has
been laid on the blunders and
botlenecks in the production pro-
gram but can too much empha-
sis be placed until they are cor
rected?
There is still no proper re-
sponsible organization in charge
of it. There is still no adequate
organization of priorities and
price controls. There is still no
prevention of bottleneck strikes
holding up important production
of absolutely vital defense ar
d! ticleS."
There is practically no organi-
Zation for conservation. substi-
tuition, and the prevention of
waste. There still is no COM
modify committee" system of
integrating supply with demand
the government organization
with the industrial organization.
There still has been no in
spirational sparkling of this
effort to put the enthusiastic
support of the whole country be-
hind il.
Many things proved by war
practice. both here and abroad,
have been neglected-an easily
accessible exhibit of the kinds
of things which have to be man.
ufactured so that all small fab
ricators can learn what they can
do-some swift and simple way
of receiving people with ideas
and offers of help and putting
them without red tape or buck
passing TO where they can get
prompt decisions.
Because of the lack of some
Of these things there has been
too great a concentration of or