The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-06-01
Never Again

The address of Lieut.. Com. John Scott OF
the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, at the
Rotary club meeting held at Fort Fisher in
tho dav room the club had furnished, en-
nhasized conditions which were not unknown,
of course, but were not fully realzeo by MS
hearers. probably because Wilmington is SO
far from the actual scene OF combat.
One condition is Britain's complete UMPIRE
naredness for war despite Hitler's unmistaka-
b,e nrenarations for war over a period OF
wears. The other is Britain's magnificent bat
tie against what seemed nsurmountable odos
throughout the years when Hitler had every
thing and the Empire practically nothing-but
courage.
The lesson, we think, implicit in Commander
SCOTS address is that at whatever cost Brit
ain and her natural ally, the United States.
must never again be caught mapping. but
maintain such powerful navies, armies and
air forces that no later despot will dare risk
conflict with them.
1t is obvious now that Hitler would never
have rearmed the Rhineland if England no
less than France had been prepared and will
ing to oppose it. Hitler would never have
raped Czechoslovakia had Chamberlain been
able to say no to him at Munich and backed
his no with military might. Hitler would
never have marched into Poland if Britain
had been prepared for the war London said
would be enjoined when his forces crossed
the Polish border Hitler drove forward with
!, p1op he nj the world no.
cause he knew full well that Britain could
not hope to oppose him at the time and, as
he thought, until his conquests were COM
pleted and opposition be of no avail.
Literally, Britain's unpreparedness left Eu-
rope ripe for the taking. But the United States
was not guiltless, nor can this country be
exonerated of responsibility for this war. 1t
is a well established fact that had we been
industrially geared for war; had we possessed
a mighty fleet and large trained army and
air force Hitler would not have dared launch
his campaign. despite Britain's military weak
ness. We, no less than Britain. were caught
mapping.
Instead of being ready to come to Britan's
aid IN the great emergency, 11lllel huSW ll4oSiH
time must be devoted to industrial conversion
here before we could deliver blow. He fully
expected to have disposed of England and
have us at his mercy before we could lift
hand either in Britains or our defense.
We cannot look askance at Britains unpre-
paredness without blaming ourselves With
equal severity.
But that is ancient history now. Hitler IS
o11tmatched and will be overthroWn because
neither Great Britain nor the United States
failed to rally in the crisis. The point Com
mander Scots address made clear. wlaouf
direct reference to it, is that similar STU
alton must never again be permitted to arise.
We do not know how it is in England, but
we have reason to know that in this country
strong and growing sentiment is encourag-
ing postwar isolation and noncombatlveness
and have heard that passivism is supported
there Both Britain and the united States
tried that after the former World war. Both
DESTROYED the flower of their fleets and re-
duced their armies to a minimum. Neither
EXPANDED their air forces. Both believed the
millennium at hand when all men would 1--we
as brothers and there would be no more wars.
It was this shortsightedness that gave Hitler
his main chance.
Surely the travail through which the worlo
is now torturously passing will not be forgot
ten when the last gun is fired. Surely Britain
and the United States will never again allow
another Hitler SO much as start building
great military machine for conquest. Any pol
icv which does not include adequate military,
naval and air police forces will prove that
our victory will have been gained and our
sacrifices made in vain.