Imperial Valley press., 1942-02-24
IS IT LETHARGY
OR IS IT CONFUSION?

SO now they're trying to scare Us out
of our 'lethargy
Why not give us something 10 do, III
stead?
We're scared already. 1t might sur
prise some people in Washington to learn
what we're scared about. We're scared
that the worst kind of business as usual
the business of politcS-ls going to let
the Axis batter down our front door be-
fore it wakes up to the realization that
there's a war gong on.
Anybody who doesn't think the people
already lealiZe how critical is our situa-
ton had better get out among Americans
and find out what they're thanking and
saying, instead OF playing around with
film actors and rhythmic dancers who
have dropped the "American cut Of
"AmericaniSm.'
Maybe there are those among Us who
haven't gone all out for the war effort.
Maybe We ought to be perfect, too and
not wait for leadership. Maybe We ought
to be our own leaders. But We-and by
I'VE" is meant the American people as
a "holt-art no more perfect than you
can expect Of a bunch Of human beings.
One of the bad features of our lmpertec-
ton is that we react pretty thoroughly
to the trend of leadership, or to the trend
III DIdCeS where VIC nave al : lSlll ~ looFN
for leadership.
Just now the trend is so confusing II
seems to be- going about the same place
a whirlpool yoeS-arOund and around To
nowhere.
We can tell YOU something, Washing
ton. We're not lethargic; were ust
plain confused And why not? Less than
a month before Pearl Harbor, YOU told US
our navy could whip Japan inside of five
weeks For more than a year before
Pearl Ilarbor, and for too long after that,
you resisted all the pressure OF pubic
opinion by refusing to make one man
or eNCu one ug 4ncy-rtSp SpOnSlble Tor arm
ament production. Then, and now, you
have pulled on KID gloves and used only
the fingortips Of those in dealing with
the racketeers Of the labor unions You've
put leftiSt social workers with reform
complex. not to mention night club Ell
tertanerS. in SO-called civilian defense
work since the war started. You Ve voted
pensions for congressman and then got
ten angry at the newspapers for men
tioning them. You've fed US hogWash
about planes and ships "on order and
forgotten to tell US about actual produc-
ton.
Don't stop yet That isn't all.
In seven days you've given US seven
different plans for handling the enemy
alien probem-and you're the people
who talk about long range planning.
Where was it? You've weathered Pearl
Harbor by soft-pedalling mention of the
responsibility war and navy department
heads bear for seeing that their depart
ments operate together and efficiently.
And you've heard the Axis tell the
world what it expects to do if 1t wins
the war, but you've never devoted any
thing war, but you've never devoted any
we expect to do in the way of shaping
a peace.
You've lambasted business and indus
try in one breath for making profits and
in the next told the people that the war
will be financed out of taxes on profits.
No, Washington, it isn't we who are
lethargic.
If you really want to find Whooping,
cheering citizenry aroused behind the
war effort, Washington, just devote one
five-minute talk to saying, ITO perdltlon
with social reform and class warfare,
with politics and vote-getting, with the
right to strike and pressure groups
we'la going to win this war, and here's
how we're going to do it, Then tell US
what to do That, Washington, is little
item you've overlooked 50 far.