Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1942-10-29

kie on Monday night of this
week in his report to America"
on his recent round the world
trip, there is boo much food for
thought to permit the speech to
be lightly passed over.
The fact that his remarks were
uncensored in addition to the
fact that he made the trip semi
officially as a per-
Wendell sonal representa-
WILKES tive of President
Opinions Roosevelt gives his
remarks added
weight. 1t is impossible not to
agree with many of Mr.. Will
kie's conclusions. Much of his
time was, of course, devoted to
an elaboration of his first hand
impressions of the countries he
visited. But when he states that
if Democracy is to survive it is
up to America to take the lead
now and to show the way after
the war, he gives expression to
what many of us have felt from
the beginning of the present con-
fiict. He gives a modern inter-
probation of the dream world of
our martyred President Wilson
when he visualizes a world at
peace under the unselfish leader
ship of the worlds greatest de-
mocracy. We can't help but agree
with him when he urges official
recognition of so-called second
class nations. These nations,
though small, are made up of
good peoples whose traditions
carry them back generations.
Maintenance of career men or
prominent Americans In these
countries as Ambassadors will,
Mr.. Willkie contends, serve to
build up understanding and good
will. And, he rightly contends,
smouldering fires which lead to
great wars can be found in these
small countries.
And Mr.. Willkie brought his
conclusions home when he dis
cussed candidly, fearlessly and
clearly the conditions on our
home front. Here he warned that
the United States
Warns is the country look
United ed to for encour-
States agement and sup
port and it is there
fore the United States which
stands to lose in goodwill which
is so essential to any establish
ment of complete understanding.
Russia and China especially are
asking what we mean by lend
lease when so little material has
reached them. Promises and
words served to appease their
desire for help for a time, he
said, but they are now seriously
asking WHEN? They are hurt,
he said, by the little help thus
far reaching them. They asked
about the Atlantic Charter and
wanted to know whether there
should not be a Pacific Charter
or a world charter. A full state
ment of our war aims, Mr.. Will
kie said, would go a long way
toward building morale in these
countries. In urging that Amer
lea define our war aims Mr.. Will
lie said Besides giving our
Allies in Asia and eastern
Europe something to fight with,
we have got to give them assur-
ance of what we are fighting
for"
The Willkie speech was ne
freshing in its complete frank
ness. Recently there has been
so much reluctance on the part
of public officials to express
themselves freely and so much
unnecessary Handling with silk
gloves" Of news releases which
might carry some public hurt
that good old American talk
like Mr.. WILKES came as a
needed tonic. Many people were
pleased with the harsh way in
which he assailed "the atrophy
Of intelligence which is produced
by stupid, arbitrary or undemo-
cratic censorship" While warn
ing of the false security brought
about by such rigid censorship
Mr.. Willlie said "The record of
this war to date is not such as to