The Alamance Gleaner
V6L LXVI GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1940 No. 21
? ?
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS By Farnham F. Dudgeon
Lack of 'Friends, Men and Guns'
Hurt French Cause, Says Petain;
U. S. 'Coalition' Cabinet Selected
(EDITOR'S NOTE?When opinions are expressed in these columns, they
are those of the news analyst and not necessarily of this newspaper.)
.. Released by Western Newspaper ?
If mil Henry Ford's tentative orders to torn oat wmrpUnes on m mass 1
production basis materialize, this gigantic tool and die plant in his River i
Rouge, Michigan, plant will become the hub of the plane-motor industry.
It is now the center of production for Ford motor cars and government
defense engineers point oat that once tools and dies are completed and
set up to turn oat a standardized plane, mass production could begin and
continue at top speed Indefinitely.
(Muu Production.)
THE WAR:
*Too Few'
While hie armies were busy with
"mopping up" military operations
against a badly battered France,
Adolf Hitler busied himself prepar
ing the terms under which his sol
diers would cease firing.
France, meanwhile, after caution
ing her troops to fight on until the
actual signing of an armistice was
announced, dispatched her peace en
voys in a snow white plane to meet
the Germans and hear their terms
of surrender.
As the nation waited, its 84-year
old premier. Marshal Henri Petain,
explained why he had sought peace
and why France had been unable to
defend itself against invasion.
France, he said, had too few friends,
too few young men, too few guns and
it had wasted the victory years fol
lowing the armistice of November
11, 1918.
Military deficiencies accounted in
large part for the distress of France,
in the premier's opinion. He point
ed out that only 2,780,000 troops
faced the Germans at the beginning
of the "battle of France" along the
Somme and Aisne rivers. This was
a half million fewer than France
had on the battlefield after three
years of hard fighting in the World
war. England had not nearly as
many men on French soil in 1940
as she had in 1914-18, and in addi
tion, the old ally, Italy, was an en
emy and ally United States a "neu
tral."
Biggest worry of ally England was
the disposition of the French fleet
following any armistice between
France and Germany. If Germany
gets control of the whole strength
of this fleet, the Rome-Berlin axis
will have sea power that could com
pete favorably against England's
anftada.
London was happy enough though
over the appointment of Frank Knox
and Henry Stimson to President
Roosevelt's cabinet (S? btlow). The
British hailed this move as assuring
a continued policy of U. S. material
and moral aid to the allied cause.
THE PRESIDENCY:
Coalition
No respecter at precedent, but re
spected even by bis enemies as a
master political strategist. Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, detracted little
from his reputation in these two cat
egories with-his pre-G. O. P. ^con
vention appointment of Frank Knox
and Henry L. Stimson to his cabinet
These two important Republican
leaders were asked to serve in what
was termed a "coalition" cabinet?
Knox as secretary of navy and Stim
son as secretary of war. Knox was
the Republican vice presidential
candidate in 193d and Stimson
served as secretary of state in the
Hoover administration. Both have
i- : i
supported President Roosevelt's for- i
eign policy. i
Republican spokesmen hailed the <
appointments as the definite stamp- 1
ing of the Democratic party as "the
war party." Some of them declared .
that they believed the President's
plan was to create the impression
throughout the nation that his stand :
in the matter of war was entirely ,
non-political and that thus any at- (
tack against his policies by the Re
publican party would be branded as
unpatriotic.
But President Roosevelt said oth
erwise. He stated that the appoint
ments were made in "line with the
overwhelming sentiment of the na
tion for national solidarity in a time
of world crisis and in behalf of our
national defense?and nothing else."
U. S. DEFENSE:
Neto Fleet
Because it has depended upon
Great Britain's fleet to keep things
on an even keel in the Atlantic, the
U. S. navy high command has usu
ally concentrated its major power
in Pacific waters. Now that Great
Britain has its hands full enforcing
the sea blockade of Germany and
Italy, and defending its own shores,
the problem of providing the eastern
seaboard of the U. S. with adequate
protection becomes increasingly
acute.
Congressional sources forecast an
early proposal by the administration
to build a completely separate At
lantic fleet. Talk at building up this
division of the naval forces has been
given added impetus because of the
possibility of complete German-Ital
ian victory in Europe.
At present the navy bill in con
gress (and it seems certain to pass)
authorizes the construction of the
largest navy in the history of the
world. So big would this new U. S.
navy be, that it alone would sur
pass the combined power of all po
tential enemies of this country. The
new Atlantic fleet would probably be
a section of this expanded navy.
/> a ?
conscription
President Roosevelt has in mind a
plan to conscript the youth of the
nation in a great mobilization drive
of human resources and to give
American youth a toughening and
diaciplinary seasoning that could be
compared to that of the totalitarian
national youth programs.
In a Washington press conference
he revealed that details of this plan
may be submitted to congress with
in a few weeks. This program would
include universal government serv
ice training for young men and wom
en alike, between the ages of 21
and 31. In addition to military train
ing for the physically St there would
be training in all types of skills re
quired for the forces behind the ac
tual combat lines.
Naturally such a program of con
scription isn't going to bs put into
effect without opposition?both in
and out of congress.
But the President and his cabinet
believe that America must be pre
pared to cope with any type of
conflict offered by the Ideologies of
the dictators. Such conflict may not
be actual military operation. More
surely there will be an economic
struggle for control of world mar
NAMES
... in the news
C President of Tale university,
Charles Seymour, warned his gradu
ating class against a "complacent
attitude" toward the serious chal
lenge that totalitarian states have
thrust at democracy.
Catching Pose
Here is 81-year-old Governor
Lpren D. Dickinson of Michi
gan, as he appeared last year in
an "Old Timers" baseball game
staged in Detroit. The governor
now announces he has switched
from catching baseballs to votes
and will be a candidate for re
election.
INDUSTRY:
Sew Competition
Many are the economists who
lave forecast a trade war between
Germany and the United States
after Adolf Hitler has finished his
political and military war in Europe.
It now appears that the Nazis are
lot going to wait for a final cleanup
if Europe before launching this type
if attack upon the American mar
kets.
For from South America comes
news that German steel companies
are offering steel in that sector at
prices below United States quota
tions and are giving a cash guaran
tee of delivery by October. To soma
observers this early beginning of the
long awaited trade war seems a bit
premature. For Adolf Hitler still
has a few big obstacles to overcome
before he can expect to compete
with American business in this
hemisphere.
Germany bases her ability to de
liver these shipments of steel upon
the fact that she has virtual control
of 99 per cent of the French steel
industry and this, plus the Reich's
own output, combined with the
Belgium - Luxembourg production,
amounts to about 40,000,000 tons per
year. Biggest problem is keeping
all these steel mills running at ca
pacity and still being able to main
tain order throughout the "protect
ed" nations. And after the steel is
produced, Germany must reckon
with Britain's still-effective sea
blockade.
Slump
Petroleum, another industry which
has a big stake in foreign markets,
has a more immediate problem on
its hands. In Texas, oil reserve
tanks are almost full, prices are
slipping every day, and foreign mar
kets are near collapse. That state's
railroad commission, which controls
the output of oil, is studying the
problem and is considering a 30-day
shutdown of producing wells to
boost prices.
LATIN AMERICA:
Tangle
Latin American nations are at
present in default at some $1,000,
000,000 worth at bonds held by V. S.
investors. To the development at
additional foreign trade and In the
meeting of foreign competition in
this hemisphere (see Industry) this
default creates a huge stumbling
block.
Economic relations between na
tions become difficult when debts
pile up and as U. S. business has
lost many of its foreign markets due
to war in Europe, the federal gov
ernment is making every effort to
untangle the debt problem in the
Latin American nations.
One current proposal is to launch
a huge government loan program to
the Latin American nations and
give them a chance to make pay
ments on their debts, eventually re
paying the United States on a long
term basis. President Roosevelt is
expected to outline details at this
plan within a short time.
MISCELLANY:
Democratic National Chairman
James A. Farley officially released
the information that William D.
Bankhead of Alabama, speaker at
the house of representatives, will bo
named temporary chairman and
hagmoter of the party's national con
vention, which convenes in Chicago,
July IS. Sen. Alben W. Berkley of
Kentucky will be named permanent
chairman.
Brackarf* Washington Digest
U. S. National Defense Program
Needs Careful Study by Public
President Roosevelt's 'Stab-in-the-Back' Speech Causes
Nation to Consider Carefully Any Preparedness
Suggestions or Military Policies.
i
1
By WILLIAM BKCCKAET |
WNU Service, National Press Bldg.,
Washington, D. C.
WASHINGTON.?There are many
persons throughout the country who
are growing more and more dis
turbed?not to say alarmed?at the
dangers inherent in the administra
tion's so-called defense program.
More and more persons are asking
aloud for something in the way of
an explanation, and more and more
one meets with situations and con
ditions in the defense program that
cause doubts to arise.
The climax to this circumstance
appears to have developed with the
speech which President Roosevelt
made at the University of Virginia?
the pronouncement that has come to
be known as the Charlottesville
speech?early in June. From the
words uttered there by the President
of the United States has come a
wide division of opinion on the
course our nation is being guided.
Unless I am incapable of reading
signs, we will hear reverberations
of that speech for weeks to come.
And it is not strange that people
everywhere should talk about that
speech! It was remarkable. Some
folks said it was "amazing." But
however you wish to characterize it.
SENATOR VANDENBERG
From neutral* to non-belligerent*.
there can be no doubt that Mr.
Roosevelt spoke with great depth of
feeling when he described Dictator
Mussolini almost personally as a
man who stabbed his neighbor
France?in the back. Nor can any
one doubt that the President spoke
the mind of a vast majority of the
American people. They feel that
way about Mussolini's cowardly de
cision to join with his bloodthirsty
axis partner, Hitler.
But it is not a question of how you
feel or how I feel, as individuals.
Mr. Roosevelt is President of the
United States. As such, it is diffi
cult, if not utterly impossible, to
separate himself as an individual
from the presidency of a great na
tion. And if it were possible, mil
lions of persons throughout the
world still would regard whatever
he says as the statement of the
President, and therefore the state
ment of the United States, as a na
tion. There is a difference.
President'$ Official Statement
Carrie* Much Importance
So, regard it as an official view.
There can be no distinction. Thus,
it becomes a matter of grave im
portance. The head of a nation that
is officially neutral, as between the
allies and the dictators, has uttered
words that place the United States
formally on the side of the allies
and he did it without approval of
congress. The congress, it is to be
remembered, is the body authorized
by the Constitution to declare war
and congresa has taken no such de
cision. The President's Charlottes
ville declarations, therefore, can be
termed unwise at the best, and prob
ably will be subjected to much more
virulent descriptions before the year
is out
Now, another phase of the defense
preparations that is causing con
cern. I refer to the policy of supply
ing government-owned war stocks
for use of the allies.
It happens that the United States
signed, and the senate of the United
States ratified, what is called the
Hague convention. This is an agree
ment among nations of all the world
which sets down certain terms and
rights and obligations called inter
national law. Article 8 of the Hague
convention states:
"The supply, in any manner, di
rectly or indirectly, by a neutral
?
power to ? belligerent power, at i
warships, ammunition or war ma- j
terials of any kind whatever ia for- <
bidden."
Policy 'Short of War'
Hat 'Official' Approval
It is to be recalled, moreover,
that the President has consistently
itated that the United States must
io "everything short of war" to aid
the allies in their struggle. That
policy has been put forward official
ly so many times that it seems to 1
occasion no surprise any more. It
ought to cause surprise, however, '
because it is not the pronouncement
of a neutral nation.
Senator Vandenberg of Michigan
accurately described the picture
when he said the other day that
President Roosevelt's policies had
taken us out of the role of neutrals
and have made of us "a non-bellig
erent nation on the allied side." The
Michigan senator had no quarrel
with building up a real defense pro
gram and he wanted to see that
done. But Senator Vandenberg, like
many others, fears there are things
being done that may sooner or lat
er be held to be an act of war. And
when that happens, in we go wheth
er we are ready or not?and the
United States has very little at this
stage of the game with which to
fight!
My own feeling is that the national
government can give freedom to its
citizens to help the allies in any
direction that they see lit or are able
to help. But the United States, as
a nation, and Mr. Roosevelt, as
President, must be careful of where
the whole people are led. These
things that I have mentioned and
countless others, each constitutes a
half step. Many half steps, even
taken slowly, will take us to the
brink, and then it is ever so easy to
topple off.
'Stop Hitler' Movement
Is Another Serioae Problem
Another situation ought to be dis
cussed, because it is part and par
cel of the whole problem. Every
day and almost in every way, we
hear or read statements by persons
of official position as well as thou
sands of self-appointed saviors of
the nation that all of this defense
preparation, all of these vast ex
penditures, all of the emergency ac
tions, are necessary and warranted
because "Hitler must be stopped be
fore he gets over here."
I believe there is something like
90 per cent of the citizens of this
country who look upon Hitler ss the
greatest criminal of the ages. They
hope that his power can somehow be
wrested from him and that his phys
ical body can be made to stand the
tortures of the damned. On the
other hand, and while still holding
that hatred of the man mainly re
sponsible for the deluge of blood, is
it not better to use common sense in
making preparations for the eventu
alities that some of the leaders now
profess to see? It strikes ma that
common sense, if allowed to rule
over the hysteria that has been pro
moted in this country, would pro
duce vastly better results in the way
of a national defense structure
which all agree we require.
From many persons who have
seen the carnage of the current war
and from many others who are fa
miliar with the lives and living con
ditions of Europeans, I have be
come convinced that whether Hitler
wins or loses or whether there is a
stalemate, the insane leader of the
German reich will face a far greater
problem than any be has met in bat
tle. It will be the condition of stark
and real famine and pestilence. It
will come after the war Just as sure
ly as night follows day. All of Eu
rope will be involved, and the price
of war will be paid.
My information is that this year of
untended crops, this year of destruc
tion of men, is leaving Germany,
especially, and moat of the others
as well, without s semblance of a
storehouse of food. The fighting men
were withdrawn from production ear
ly. Moreover, food rationing start
ed in this war in its first weeks,
whereas it was not used in the first
World war until late in the second
year and then to a less degree than
now. There is the "machine" that
will stop Hitler from coming over
here, and it will be effective.
I repeat, therefore, that we can
prepare to defend ourselves, but we
need not be hysterical about it
-?Speaking of Sports
Sarazen, Like
Old Man River,
Keeps Rolling
By ROBERT McSHANE
OUtaMd by WuUrn N?w?p?p?r Union.)
That sturdy little Roman, Gene
Sarazen, gave golfdom one of its
major thrills a short time ago when
the fates decided that he and Law
ion Little should battle it out for the
forty-fourth National Open cham
pionship.
Little won the match, and no one
denies that his was a gallant vic
tory. But It was a sad blow to the
thousands of fans who have rooted
for Gene during the past 20 years.
They took consolation in the fact
that the lfi-hole playoff was Just as
exciting as could be expected In a
man-to-man duel between two of the
greatest match players who ever
lived.
Cocky and courageous, Sarazen
has won virtually all the honors of
fered to a professional golfer. Thir
ty-eight years old, this was his twen
ty-first National Open tournament
after his debut at Toledo's Inver
ness course. He won the Open in
1922, and again in 1932.
Standouts of the 30's
Looking back ever the Terrific
Thirties, owe can find but a handful
of standout golfers. The handful in
cludes Ralph Gnldahl, Sam Snead,
Harry Cooper, and a few more.
Most of the big names featured in
today's golfing news belong to the
johnny-eome-latelles?the boys who
look good during a particularly hot
stretch, and then settle down to a
less publicised mediocrity.
Gene won all six of the major
championships, five of them during
the thirties. In 1932 he won both
the U. S. and the British Open
crowns, establishing a scoring rec
ord in England. In 1933 he won the
Professionals' match play tourna
ment. Two years later he scored
his still famous double-eagle to tie
Craig Wood and win the Augusta
If uteri' in a playoff. Ha was West
ern Open champion in 1030 and
Metropolitan king in 1929.
Sarasea backers will ccaeede that
one other maa was a consistently
better golfer. That was Bobby
fence. From the time the Emperor
fcms won his tost title la 1923 aatil
ha latched competition the top man
of them all was never withoat a
title. He woe U major champion
ships, taelading the t*M grand slam
of the National Open, the National
Amatear, the British Open sad the
British Amatear.
When Jones entered a tournament
it was always him against the Held.
That can't be said about Sarazen or
any other player aince Jones' time.
Gene Calls the Torn
Gene called the turn about two
months ago. He couldn't, he said,
see any reasoo why, at hie age, be
shouldn't still be good enough to
win. He planned on entering a few
tournaments, getting plenty of prac
tice, and then going out for bigger
game. The success of his strategy
almost made a third-time Open
champion of him, and must have
bean a surprise even to htm self
There'll be no forgetting Saraxen's
semi-Anal finish to gain a tie with
Uttle. Needing to coma back in j
34 strokes, two under par, the Con
necticut farmer picked up birdies at
the eleventh and thirteenth. He got
them by holing a bad eight-foot putt
on the sixteenth, a terrific 30-footer
on the seventeenth, and just missing
a 90-foot attempt for a birdie that
would have won the title for him on
the eighteenth bole.
When the tournament ^was ever |
bean served. Tournaments as teugk
as the Open are wan by yiaagaa
elastic, who can shake paMkly the
effects of a grueling, punishing
rsund against heart-breaking eem
GENE SAKAZEN
GENERAL
NUCM S.
JOHNSON
Jaur:
UMIM W matntm
WtJbiBfioB, D. C.
WHY WE MUST STAT OPT
Apart from emotion, there are
three compelling reasona why we
should now stay out of war. (1) We
not only have nothing to put in but
due to criminal neglects, we are de
fenseless on our own shores. (3) Our
great need is time to prepare our
defense and, on all the facts, and the
opinion of ail competent experts, are
could have from 18 months to three
years if we do not invite every dan
ger we fear and rush headlong into
a situation we are now totally un
able to handle. (3) If we stay out
of this thing and become strong, we
shall have a voice in the outcome.
If we go in, by our present weak
ness foredoomed to defeat, ire shall
Just be another Hitler trophy?"voe
victis"?woe to the vanquished.
In the post World war "cordon
sanitaire," France incited the little
countries to threaten Germany on
her promise of help?and then neg
lected to remain able to help. On
the same formula, Britain encour
aged Poland to resist on England's
"guaranty" of assistance and was
wholly unable to help. Similarly,
for domestic politics, we are hold
ing out false hopes to England and
France and have incited them to
war.
All those small nations are gone
nine of them. France and Fngtand
are responsible. France also is gone.
England is going. We are repeating
the same ghastly international im
morality and suicide. For God's
sake let's keep out?at least long
enough to get ready to get in.
? ? ?
ISAIAH 1939-1949
For long this writer has insisted
that Mussolini is a mess and re
cently predicted his June 10 ratting
and called it a "stab to the back at
France." We have all finally awak
ened to our own miserably inade
quate defense and the pitiful de
fenselessness of the allies. But all
that is no excuse for flopping around
like a beheaded hen. The admin
istration should have made it dear
much earlier and more calmly. It
knew but, for political reasons, was
not frank.
The very first issue at this col
umn, March IS, 1939, now reads like
the Prophet Isaiah. It discussed the
dumb inactivity of the ill ire, dis
cussed what Hitler eras preparing
to rearmament with his excellent
industries, and said to part:
"Today the French army with Ha
allies could march from one end at
Europe to the other?but not after
the Germane rearm with modern
equipment. Fully equipped, they
would -be a military nation far su
perior to the French and ... on no
provocation at all could bring down
on the world a new 1914 or worse
T?>!? move nt Hitler's
starts catastrophe on the way . . .
he stops at nothing?ethics, mercy
or humanity?and he certainty would
not be stopped by a political bound
ary or so slight -a consideration as
the peace of the world . . . With
the trim, vigor and vivacity of a
man whose bouse is threatapsd by
a vast conflagration we should im
mediately . . . provide for the mo
bilization of our wealth, property
and industry as well as our man
? -LL-u-wr "
POWwga
That was written Ave years ago.
Although the disastrous future
was then that deer and that avoid
able. we and the allies did httto.
Since 1833, when this wiMar
helped to persuade congress Is au
thorize ample funds to merhaaire
and motorize the array, he haa been
clamoring?many times evary year
?about our complete military hn
potency in modem land and air
weapons and trying to dramatise the
now bloodily proved helplessness of
troops who do not have them against
those who have.
With this in view, mora than four
years later, while the allies, bluffing
on the bob-tailed flush of their sim
ilar defaults In defense, sought to
prevent Hitler from retaking the
German City of Danzig and the Po
lish Corridor from the dictatorship
of Poland, this writer predicted the
effect of the Russian development
and accurately (within M hours)
that Hitler would march.
On this reasoning tt said, among
several other times, an August S.
1899, . if our peace and pep
haps our fats are to be decided en
this statesmanship of Britain and
France ... we certainly are to a
hell offlx .. . Let's run our own
policy and not turn It over to Mr.
Chamberlain ... We are not n?
raotely prepared far war and nolthsr
to England or France. Hitler la. H
let's chooaa an occasion which con
cerns us and a time at which we
have at laast a Chinaman's chance.**