Evening star., 1946-10-14
Security Still Depends
On Military Strength

On Military Strength
Patterson Speech Explained Peril
OF u. S. Disarming Nov.
By Dapid Laurence
American cabinet officers are Begin
ming to call spade q spade in world
affairs. Perhaps the most fortnight
speech since the Nuremberg trial that
has come from any source is that
which has just been delivered by Sec
retary Of War Patterson before the
American Federation Of Labor.
The address follows somewhat the
same reasoning as that Of Justice
jackson. While there Is not . single
mention OF the Soviets, the reader is
able to see plainly the theEs-that AZ
long as totalitarianism and suppression
Of civil liberties is Q national policy
anywhere in the world among powerful
nations, America cannot abort to de-
mobilize completely.
This country" said Mr.. Patterson.
CdlluOt oaACAy dlcdim Wlu1c OsAOA
nations maintain powerful forces. Mai.
tary weakness has never led to peace.
Running away in the face Of aggres-
sion has never prevented involvement
In war. We have tried weakness; we
have tried appeasement; and we have
been thrust into war after war"
The secretary then referred to that
Tasting significance In the punishment
Of the leaders who launched q power
full nation on war Of aggression" He
added that the Nuremberg trial "ma.ks
the end Of the doctrine that in csses
Of war guilt, the higher-ups, the people
who have set in motion the machinry
to plunge the world into war, should
not be touched"
Naxis Suppressed Liberty.
Nothing could be palmer than the
implications Of that statement to III
other countries where the seeds of
aggressive war may be sown by total
tartan governments. On this point.
Mr.. Patterson, again without mention
ing any country, says: ,.-
There is deeper significance. II
was clearly brought out at the trial
that those Nazi leaders could not have
carried their plan forward If they had
not first suppressed liberty in thdr
own land. Their first step was to put
down freedom Of speech and freedom
Of the press, which meant that Ge.-
mans received only such information
As the conspirators saw fit to let then
have. They knew full well that Only
by control of information or misia-
| formation could they bring their people
| to support . war program. In 10
nation, not even In Germany, do tae
mass Of the people want war, unless
they have been persuaded that some
one has done them q great injury or
| Is about to attack them. The Nazi
| leaders were able to sell the German
people on war by tall tales Of the
Czechs attacking Germans, the Poles
attacking Germans-nes that would not
have been believed If there had beer
free press in Germany.
I'm the long run, the greatest measure
in prevention Of war will be the spread
of free speech and free press Throughout
| the world. When men are at liberty 10
| give and receive information and 10
| take part in discussion, without tie
hand Of the secret police on their shoyl-
ders, and without dread Of the knSck
on the door In the night that means
the start Of the journey to the conen-
tration camp, it will do more than any-
thing else to prevent q ruling group at
the top from throwing the manppwer
and the resources Of great nation into
| aggressive warfare.
Must Rely on Readiness.
"When that time comes, and am
confident that 1t viii come, we need
have no great concern about involve
ment In war. It Is not yet at hand,
however, and in the meantime We must
rely on our own readiness and re-
sources.
| The United Nations, which means q
world organized for peace, Offers us .
concrete program for relief from recur-
renee Of war If it Is firmly supported
by the great powers, the chances are
bright that we will see no more whole
sale slaughter. But until we can be
sure that the necessary support will be
Forthcoming, it stands to reason that
we must look to our own defenses for
our security. When all is said and done,
It is our ability to protect ourselves that
| counts in q world that still talks in
terms of planes, tanks and guns.
4 II cannot lay too much stress on the
Importance of showing to the world,
| fiend or foe, the readiness Of the
| United States to defend itself. In the
| PRESENT day and age, that readiness is
tie most effective guaranty Of peace
| that can be devised. No foreign power.
| ID combination Of powers will go to
var with the United States or will fol-
lW policies that involve the risk of war
| with us, If they look us over and con-
Glide that their prospects Of success in
| q light with us are not good"
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