OCR Text |
Show NO TIME FOR POLITICS During the week Colonel Frank Knox, secretary of the navy, Judge Robert P. Patterson, assistant secretary of war, and Colonel Julius Ochs Adler, civilian aid to the secretary of war, joined Secretary of War Henry Stimson and President Roosevelt in indorsing compulsory military training. Even more recently Secretary of State Cordell Ihill warned warn-ed nations of the western hemisphere to "arm to the teeth" and criticized Americans who declare the country is in no danger. Mr. Hull has many avenues of information not available to congressmen and his capable handling of the department of state has given his countrymen full confidence in his opinions. opin-ions. If he believes that our national safety and the maintenance mainten-ance of our institutions arc endangered, his warning should strike home to all. The Gallup and Fortune polls have reported approval of the public on compulsory military training and national leaders lead-ers have indorsed it. Military experts, including General John J. Pershing, tell us that a large army can be recruited and equipped only by conscription. Why then, is there such determined opposition to the bill in congress? Can it be that our statesmen are only politicians politi-cians afraid to commit themselves on a controversial issue immediately before a presidential election? The isolationists that really believe "there is no emergency" emer-gency" and "conscription is undemocratic" will have a lot to explain if they block and delay safety measures now to leave us totally unprepared fojr some great future emergency. In this instance politics should be forgotten. |