Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-14

OF Tic BtODo OH
their shoulders,
Henry MeLemere. Is this:
Why Is 1t that the United States
never gets anything out Of war?
We never do, you know. We put
up the money. We send nagnifl-
cent fighters into the field Of COM
bat. We tighten our belts. We
make all the known sacrifices, and
wind up with exactly nothing.
This country's statesmen spend a
great deal Of their time making it
clear to the rest of the world that
the United States wants nothing
when 1t is all over. Well stand pat
with our 40 States and few OUT
lying possessions, they say.
Why?
Somebody Gets Something.
What would be wrong with the
United States grabbing little here
and a little there? All Of the other
countries do. They think about the
victors swag night and day. One
OF the major problems OF the war
today, If have been reading the
learned commentators correctly
concerns who is going to get what
when the shooting is finished.
Somebody is going to wind up
with the treasure Maybe 1t would
be a good thing If Uncle Sam did.
He hasn't proved an ineficient COL
onizer. The people under his wing
have been pretty happy. They have
been given good. just treatment,
and have sent In few complaints.
What is behind this country's In.
sistence that it never share in the
cutup OF the prize?
1t can't be that this country has
found that sweetness and decency
and heart that beats for all man
kind pays rich dividends. We were
alive with these virtues on Deem
Der 7, 194l, but what did it get us?
The Japanese didn't respect us for
1t, but took us for suckers and let
us have the works when we weren't
looking. Hitler never paid US any
compliments and neither did Musso-
lini.
Outposts Needed.
have a sneaking feeling that
when this war comes to an end this
country should insist on getting q
few things. We know now that
the airplane has made this a small
world. Our oceans are not enough
protection. As part OF our cut for
being the arsenal Of democracy, the
banking house where the credit.
never runs out, We should demand,
| all that land about us that would
help us when the next attack comes.
You know the land I am talking
about and you know 1t is essential
In the defense of our shores. It.
must be essential else why should
we have planes and men and ships
on the land right now2
More than one of our leaders ap-
pear to be convinced that this is
the last war, that after this one is
finished there will be no shooting
and that the nations of the earth
will live together in complete har.a
mony. Let us hope that is right, but
not many Of us would make a bet
on it without asking for odds.
The chances are that in the years
to come, the thousands of years to
come. this country will have to fight
for its life fairly often. The human
being hasn't changed q great deal
in the last 1000 years and he can.
not be counted on to change much
in the next 1000.
Might Admit 1t.
There are going to be greed and
malice and leaders who want power
and there is going to be shooting
among men. 1t might not be q bad
idea for this country to admit that,
and instead Of leaving the future
generations nothing but a whacking-
lot OF bad debts. try to leave them
a country that is 50 powerful that.
no one will attack 1t with any sue.
cess.
As I said beforehand this sub
1ect undoubtedly Is q bit deep for
me-the war we are In right now is
all the proof any American needs
that the rest of the world doesn't
honor decency. We have worn our
selves out being decent and what
happens? We have to throw It all
aside and get right down to bed
rock with the barbarians and start
doing all the things they do to
keep from being crushed.
So when the boys gather around
the peace conference table I hope
our side will be represented by
some one who'll say:
I'VE are tired Of being taken for
suckers. We are tired Of talking
nothing but loneliness. We want as
much as We can get Of the earth,G
riches. 1t will help us to make a
good fight when the next war comes
along and also We are likely to be
more generous with those riches
than you other boys have been"
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