Show I 1 What Readers Think Editors Editor's note Holt Contributors to What Readers Headers Think must sign their true truc names and addresses although these will not uc oc published if the writer requests Short letters will v willbe bo be given preference PInchot Urges Support For Ship-Arming Ship Plan Editor Telegram I am a Republican Republican Republican Re Re- publican but I am an American first Not however an America America America Amer Amer- ica Firster As As' Asa a Republican American I would like to submit a few remarks in support of the pr presidents president's position on the neutrality neutrality neutrality neu neu- bill The present situation is too serious to fool with We are part of a world at war This is no notime notime notime time to play politics with the future future future fu fu- fu- fu ture of the United States Recent history is one long succession succession succession suc suc- cession of peace pledges broken by Hitler and of peace prophecies cies proved false Too many of us are betting our national safety against their guess that Hitler cant can't win Too many of us are gambling that if he does win it will make no difference Too many openly deny what in their consciences they know that in these days of savage conquest every nation is in peril including our own Our greatest danger is not Hitler but the failure of our people to realize their danger And after that comes Business as Usual Until we recognize what a Hitler victory would mean to us and act Accordingly we cannot be safe Next to admitting the obvious facts what we need most is to tobe tobe tobe be united united united-united united against our common danger behind the government government government gov gov- the American people have chosen A good many persons are putting putting putting put put- ting in their time opposing whatever President Roosevelt is for just because he is for it That is their privilege But when it goes to the length of sabotaging sabotaging sabotaging sabo sabo- taging the government of the United States in the face of a foreign enemy that Is a horse of another color Suppose an epidemic threatened threat ened your town And suppose you chose a doctor to deal with it Would you charge him With win being a monger disease-monger because he took vigorous measures to protect your safety But that is exactly what the isolation are doing about the war Talking as if there were no war gets nobody anywhere AI ps AIa Ata a matter of cold fact there is iJ iswar t a war and we are in it Playing politics with this war is about the worst sin an American Ameri can citizen can commit And there is too much of it There is too much of it in the congress of the United States Before we concentrate on poll poll- tics on trying to throw one party out and put another In ln let us first make sure that Hit i ler will not prevent us from having hav- hav hay j ing any free political parties atall at all when this war is over If wi ws are to be strong against ene i I mies from abroad our domestic quarrels must end at the waters water edge The allies are f fighting our our fight While they fight it s1 our business to supply weapons and food Weapons and food will do nobody any good if Hit Hit 1 ler sinks them in the sea Hitler has inter 1 national law He is forc forcing ng vi UJ nil either to abandon our rights o ours int interests rests and our ships or to protect them against piracy United States merchant ships have often been armed against pirates before this Why not now Out of deep conviction I urge every American to support the president in demanding modification modification cation of the neutrality law forthe for forthe forthe the safety and welfare of our country and the world Gifford Pinchot Milford Pa |