Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-29

within America
seemed almost =.
made to order.
The President
gets his biggest David Lawrence.
audiences on the air in times of
crises and the chance to enhance
his prestige comes naturally on such
occasions, when the Nation has had
its interest stimulated by moving
events of stirring importance.
The public always is eager to
learn from the President what lies
ahead. Mr. Roosevelt had to make a
choice between entering the con-
troversial domain of domestic af-
fairs or addressing the peoples over
seas The late President Wilson used
to address the Senate or a joint SEES
sion Of Congress to provide the
background for utterances really de-
signed for consumption overseas as
q part of the skillful psychological
warfare which made his admins
tration in 1918 so effective in crack
ing the morale of the then German
Empire. "
World Is Audience Now.
Mr. Roosevelt has the whole world
for his audience these days, and
the opportunity to speak to the OPP
pressed peoples of the occupied
areas and to italians and Germans
is unprecedented in its value to
America because the use OF radio
broadcasting makes it possible today
to accomplish ever so much more
than was possible during the World
War.
The Italian government no doubt
will endeavor to commit the Allies
to the principles already set forth
in the Atlantic Charter, wherein the
restoration to peoples of their right
full place in the family of nations
was, assured. This is no time, to
pussyfoot or hedge on the matter
of territorial aggrandizement or any
other basic principle.
The sincerity Of the United Ma
tons will be tested by what is Of
fered Italy. Complete military
occupation of italy is, of course,
imperative In order that the United
Nations may proceed relentlessly
against Hitler and German Fascisrn
Terms of peace so far as details
are concerned can wait. The i'm
portant thing is to make good on
our profession of interest in and
sympathy with the italian people
They, on their part, must see that
any continuation Of the war on he
side OF Germany is unthinkable and
1t may be taken for, granted that
when Mussolini was eliminated, the
italian royal family knew that the
only side they could be on hereafter
was that of the United Nations.
What is happening this week or
may happen next week, therefore,
will furnish merely a means of
carrying out the delicate and dan
gerous transition looking toward
Italys withdrawal as a member of
the Axis partnership. >t.
War Not Over.
In the midst of the tense situa-
ton created by Italian develop
ments, it is necessary for the Gov
eminent here to warn the people
that the war is not over and that
efforts must not be relaxed on the
production front. Again and again
in the last three years the Allies
have warned about peace Often
sives," which were believed to be
plotted as master strokes of decep-
ton. Now when there is an actual
breakup of one member of the Axis
group, the dangers of relaxation of
our effort or slowing down are just
as great.
There is, of course, the possibility
that the overthrow of Mussolini may
set up an infectious spirit inside
Germany and lead to the sudden
elimination of Hitler, but the prob
lem would not be, solvable imme-
diately because some of the same
questions, that now arise with re-
spect to Italy would. emerge with
respect to Germany. Granted that
the people are fed up on war, what
mechanism shall be used to keep
some form of constituted authority
SO as to prevent the chaos Of revo-
luton from sweeping the country
and perhaps all Europe? Anarchy
is a dangerous foe and can compli-
cate our military task immeasurably
That is why the way we handle
the de facto government in Italy
becomes of transcendent Importance
and that is why perhaps the Ameri-
can people are more interested now
In hearing the outlines of American
policy toward Italy and similar situ-
ations< than, in the merits of the
quasi-political subjects of imitation
and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS controversy
Reproduction rishts reserved)
SL-.-.1