Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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r~#nvA?? i President Predicts Axis Can't Win War Washington, Dec. 29-? 1'ranideot Roosevelt called on tho nation tonight to bocohie "the groat arsenal of democracy," predicted llatly that tho AxIh powers would not win the war and Ha id thai tho United States now has "no right or reason to encourage talk of peace." In a world-wide broadcast from tho ?. I White Mouho diplomatic room, too president repeatedly castigated tho J policies of Nazi Germany. If Great Britain should bo defeated, ho said, tho Axis powers would ''control tho continents of Burope, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the high scas.'*\ I "It is no exaggeration to say," ho continued, "that all of us In the Americas would bo living at tho point t>f a gun?a gun loaded with exploitive bullets, economic as well as military." Tho fate of small nations in Burope, Mr. Roosevelt declared, "tells us what It moans to llvo at the point of a Nazi ... gun." The talk, for which the president received numerous suggest tons and which he re-drafted He Veil times before delivery, was described by tho chief ox ecu rive as "a talk on national security" rather than ''a Preside chat on war. Washington, Doe. 29?Following Is the text of President Roosevelt's "fireside chat" tonight. This Is not a tlrcsldo chat on war. It is a talk on national security; because the nub of tho whole pur|M>se of your president is to keep you now, and your children later, and your grandchildren much later, out of American Independence and all of tho /'\ things that American independence meanH to you and to me and to ours. Tonight, In the presenco of a world crisis, my mind goes back eight years ago to a night In the midst of u domestic crisis. It was a time when i. , the wh<?el? of American Industry were grinding to a full stop, when the whole hanking system of our country had ceased to function. 1 well remember that while 1 sat In my study In the White House, preparing to talk with tho people of tho United States, I had before my eyes tho picture of all those Americans with whom I was talking. I saw the workmen in the mills, the mines, the factories; tho girl behind the counter; the small shopkeeper; the farmer doing his spring plowing; the widows and the old men wondering about their life's savings. 1 tried to convoy to the great mass of American people what the' banking crfsH meant to them itt their daily lives Tonight. I want tn fin the same thing, with the same people, in this new crisis which laces America. We met the Issue of 1992 with courage and realism We face this new crisis?this new threat to the security of our nation with the same eotiraue and realism. Never before since .I.iue stow u and Plymouth Rock has our American .< ivili/ation been in stu b danger as now. For on September 27. U'te, 1>\ an agreement signed in Berlin. three powoi ful nations, two in Kuro|?> and one in Asia, joined themselves together in the threat that if the United Slates interfered with or blocked the expansion program <>f these three nations?a program aimed at world control?they would unite in ultimate action against the United States. The Nazi masters of Germany have mado it clear that they Intend not only to dominate all life and thought in their own country, but also to enslave tho whole of Burope, and then to use the resources of Burope to dominate the re?t of tho world. Three weeks ago their leader anted "there arc two worlds that stand opL. posed to each other." Then In defiant reply to his opponents, ho said tVs: "Others arc correct when they say - With this world we cannot ever reconcile ourselves I can beat any other power In the world." So said the leader of the Nazis. In other words, the axis not merely admits but proclaims that there can Bf be no ultimate peace between their pholosophy oI government and our philosophy of government. In view of the nature of this undeniable threat, it can be asserted, properly and categorically, thar 'ho United States has no right or reason -.encourago talk of pence, until the '--'m day shall come when there Is a clear f|?-r^lntention on the part of tho aggress, r nations to abandon all thought of ' dominating or i$onauering the world. At this moment, the forces of the N states that are leagued against all { peoplesfarho live ln freedom, are being held -'away from our shores. The P^-? Get man and Italians are being blocked on the other side of the Atlantic by the British, and by the Greeks, and by thousands of soldiers and sailors were able bo escape tram Shbjagated countries. The Japanese ars^ being ongaged In Aula by the Chlnosa In another groat doNumo. In tho Paojtic In our hoot. Homo of our people Itko to believe that wara in Europe and in Asia are of no concern to us. Hut ll in a matter of most vital concern to us that European and Aaiatic war-makers Hbould not gain control of the oceans which load to this hemisphere. Olio hundred and goventoen years ago tho Monroe Doctrine was conceived by our government as a measure of defense in tiio face of a threat against tliis hemisphere by an alliance in continental Europe. Thereafter, we stood on guard in tho Atlantic, with tho British as neighbors. There was no treaty. Tlie.ro was no "unwritten agreement." I Yi^t, there was the feeling, proven correct by history, that we as neighbors could settle any disputes in .peaceful fashion Tho fact is that during the whole of this time the western hemisphere has remained free from aggression from Europo and . Asia. J I toes anyone seriously believe that j we need to fear attack while a tree j Britain remains our most powerful 'naval neighbor in tho Atlantic? Does anyone seriously believe, on the other i hand, that we could rest easy if the axis powers were our neighbor there? If Great Britain goes down, the axis powers will control the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the high seas?and they will be in a position to bring enormous military and naval resources against this hemisphere. It Is no exaggeration to say that all of uh In the Americas would be living at the point of a gun?a gun loaded with explosive bullets, economic as well us military. W? should enter ui>on a new and terrible rrn In -which the whole world, our hemisphere included, would be run by threats of brute and force. To survive in such a world, we would have to convert ourselves permanently into a militaristie power on the basis of war economy. Some of us like to believe that even if Great Britain falls, tvo are still safe, because of the broad expanse of the Atlantic and of the Pacific. But the width of these oceans is not what it was in the days of clipper Hhlps. At one jx>int between Africa and Brazil the distance is less than from Washington to Denver' -five hours for the latest type of bomber. And at the north of the Pa1 itlc ocean America and Asia almost touch each ! ol tier. { 10veil today \vo liavu planus which 'could tl> from the British Isles to New I England ami bark without refueling. : And tho ranue of the modern bomber is ever being increased Inning .the past week many people in all parts of the nation have told in-> iwhal 111ex wanted me 10 say tonight. Aimosi all of them expressed a courageous d. .-ir?-So hear the plain truth about" the gravity of the situation One tel.-grain, however. expressed the attitude of the small minority who want to see no ex'il and hear no evil, e \ e u though they know in their hearts that ex ll exists. That telegram begged me not to tell again of the <a-e 'with which our American cities could he bombed by any hostile power which had gained bases in this western hemisphere. The gist of that telo grain was: ''Please. Mr President don't frighten us by telling us the fact s." | Frankly and definitely there is danger ahead?--danger against which wo iiinst prepare. But we well know that 1 we cannot escape danger, or the fear 'of It. by crawling into bed and pulling the covers over our heads. , Some nations of Europe were bound by solemn non-intervention pacts xvitbGermany. Other nations wore assured by Germany that they need never f**ar invasion. Non-intervention pact or not. the fact remains that they were attacked, over-run and throxvn Into the modern form of slavery at an hour's notice or even without any. notice at all. As an exiled leader of j one of these nations said to tne thei other day?' the notice was minus j quantity It was given to inx gov* rnnn-tit two hours after German tro>ps had poured into my country in a hundred piaoes The N a/is lia x o Jit-t itb-d su.hj action- by various pieu- ftauds. On--; of th'-s. '' in-is is the claim that Gt.yj are ociapxing a nation for tho pu" 1 pose of "restoring order*. Another i-J that rhey ,ir occupying or controlling j a nation on the c\* us*; that they .ir.-j "protecting it" against the aggp-sshm of somebody else. For example Germany has said ?hat she was occupying Delirium to save tho Belgians from tho British. Would she hesitate to say to any South American country. "We are occupying you to protect you from aggreselon by the United States ?" Belgium today Is being used ?? an Invasion base against Hrltnin, now fighting for Its Mfo Any South American country, in Nail hands, would ulwayu constitute a Jumping off place for (luriimn utluck. on any of thu other republic* of thk? hemisphere. Aual.vzo for yourselves the future of two other places even nearer to (lermany If the Nazis won. Could Ireland hold out? Would Irish freedom be permitted as an amazing exception lit an unfreo world? Or tho Islands of the Azores which still fly the flag of Portugal after live centuries? We think of Hawaii as tin out|x>st of dofbnse In tho Pacltlc. Yet, the Azores are closer to our shores In tho Atlantic than Hawaii Is on the other side. There are those who say that the axis powers would never have any desire to attack tho Western hemisphere. This Is the same dangerous form of wishful thinking which has destroyed the powers of resistance of so many conquered peoples. Tho plain facts aro that the Nazis have proclaimed, time and again, that all other races are their Inferiors and therefore sub-J Joct to their orders. And most Important of all. the vast Yesources and wealth of this hemisphere constitute | the most tempting loot In all the world. | lad us no longer blind ourselves to tho undeniable fact that the evil forces which have crusred and under-J mined and corrupted so many others aro already within our own gates. | Your government knows much about them and every day Is ferreting them out. | Their secret emissaries are active In our own and neighboring countries. They seek to stir up suspicion and dissensions to cause Internal strife. They try to turn capital against labor and vice-versa. They try to reawaken long slumbering racial and religious enmities which should have no place In this country. They are active In every group that promotes Intolerance. They exploit for their own ends our national abhorrenco of war. These trouble "breeders have but one purpose. It is to divide our people into hostile groups and to destroy our unity and i shatter our will to defend ourselves. There are also American citizens, many of them In high places, who. unwittingly In most cases, aro aiding and abetting the work of these agents. I do not charge these American citizens with being foreign agents. Hut I do chargo them with doing exactly the kind of work that the dictators want done In tho United States. These people not only believe that we can save our own skins by shutting our eyes to the fate of other nations, some bf them go much, much further than that. They say that wo can and should become tho friends and even the partners of the axi> powers. Some of them even suggest, that we should imitate the method* of the dictatorships. Americans never can and never will do that. The experience of the past two years has proven beyond doubt that no nation can appease the Nazis. No man ran tame a tiger into a kitten l>> stroking it. There can be no appeasement with ruthh'ssness. There can be I no reasoning with an incendiary bomb j We know now that a nation can htiv" ! pe.it e with the Nazis only at the p' itv 'of toial surrender. Km-ii the people of Italy have been , forced t?) become accomplices of the I Na/is; but at this moment they do not 'know how soon they will be embraced to death by their allies, j The Ani'Tican appeusers ignore the I warning to bo found in the fate of Austria. Czechoslovakia. I'oland. Norj way. Helgium. tho Netherlands, Denj mark and Prance. They tell you that , tho axis powers are going to win anyway; that all this bloodshed In tin world could be saved and that the United,States might Just as well throw its Influence into the scale of a dictated peace and get the best out of it that we can. They call It a "negotiated peace' Nonsense! Is It a negotiated peace if a gang of outlaws surrounds your community and on threat of extermination makes you pay tribute to save your own skins Such dictated peace would be no peace at all It would be only another armistice leading to the most gigantic armament race and the most devastating trade wars in history. And in j these contests the Americas would ioffer the only real resistance to the axis powers. We are planning our own defens. with the utmost urgency; and in it> vast scale we must Integrate the war Is of Britain ruul the other tree nations resisting aggression. This is imt a matter of sentiment or of controversial personal opinion IL Is a matter of realistic military po.ley. based on the advice of i.ur military > xper.s who aro in close tou? h with existing warfare. These military and naval experts anil ' the tneinl>eiH of the congress and tho administration have a single-minded purpose? the defense of tho United States. This nation is making a great effort to produce everything that la necessary In thla emergency?and with all possible speed. Thla great effort requires great sacrifice. In would ask no one to defend ft democracy which in turn would not defend everyone in tho nation against want and privation. The strength of thla nation ahull not bo diluted by the failure of the government to protect the economic well being of all citizens. If our capacity to produce la limited by machines, It must ever be remembered that these machines are operated by the Hklll and the stamina of the workers. - Ae the - government . la determined to protect tho right* of workers, ho the nation has a right to expect that the men who man the machines will discharge their full reHponBlbllltlos toN tho urgent noeda of defense. The worker possesses the same human dignity and Is entitled to the same security of position as the engineer or manager or owner. For the workers provide the human power that turns out the destroyers, the air plunes and the tanks. The nation expects our defense industries to continue operation without interruption by strikes or lockouts. It expects and Insists that management and workers will reconcile their differences by voluntary or legal means, to continue to produce the supplies that aro so sorely needed. And on the economic side of our great defense program, we are, as you know, bending every effort to maintain stability of prices and with that the stability of the cost of living. Nine days ago 1 announced tho sotting up of a more effective organization to direct our gigantic efforts to Increase the production of munitions. The appropriation of vast sums of money and a well co-ordinated executive direction of our defense efforts are not in themselves enough. Guns, planes and ships have to be built In the factories and arsenalB of America. They have to be produced by workers and managers and engineers with the aid of machines which in turn have to be built by hundreds of thousands of workers throughout the land. In this great work there has been splendid co-operation between the government and industry and labor, i American industrial genius, unmatched throughout the world In the solution of production problems, has been called upon to bring its resources a.,d talents into action. Manufacturers of watches, of farm implement, linotypes, cash registers, automobiles, sewing machines, lawn mowers and locomotives are now making fuses, bomb packing crates, telescope mounts, shells, pistols and tanks. Hut all our present efforts are not enough. We must have more ships, more guns, more planes?more of everything. It can only be accomplished if we discard the notion of, "business as usual". This job cannot he done merely by superimposing on the existing productive facilities the added requirements for defense. Our defense efforts must not be blocked by those who fear the future consequences of surplus plant capacity. Tho possible consequences of failure of our defense efforts now are much more to bo feared. After the present needs of our defense are past, a proper handling of tho country's peace-time needs will require all of the new productive capacity?if not more. No pessimistic policy about the future of America shall delay the immediate expansion of those industries essential to defense. I want to make It clear that it is the purpose of the nation to build now with all possible speed every machine and arsenal and factory that we need to manufacture our defense material. We have the men?the skill?the wealth?and above all, we will. I am confident that if and when production of consumer or luxury goods In certain Industries requires tho use of machines and raw materials essential for defense purposes, then such production must yield to our primary and compelling purpose. I appeal to the owners of plants?to the managers?to the workers?to our own government employers?to put every ounce of efTort into producing these munitions swiftly and without stint. Ami with this appeal I give you the pledge that all of ua who aro ofTleers of your government will devote ourselves to tho samo wholehearted extent to the great task which lies ahead. | As planes and shops and guns and shells aro produced, your government with its defenso experts, can then determine how best to use thorn to defend this hemisphere. Tho decision as to how much shall be sent abroad and how much shall remain at home must ho made on tho basis of our over all military necessities. Wo must ho tho groat arsenal of democracy. For us this Is an emergency as serious as war itself. Wo must i apply ourselves to our task with the samo resolution, the same aense of urgency, the same spirit of patriotism ^ and sacrifico as we would show were we at war. We have furnished the British great material support nad we will furnish far more In the fhture. There will be no "bottlenecks" In our determination to aid Great Britain.) No dictator, no combination of dicta- j tors, will weaken that determination P by threats of how they will construe that determination. j The British have received Invaluable military support from the heroic Greek army, and from the forces of all the governments In exile. Their strength is growing. It Is the strength of men and women who value their freedom more highly than they value their lives. I believe that the axis powers are not going to win this war. I base that belief on the latest and best Information. We have no excuse for defeatism.' We have every good reasfch for hope ?hope for peace, hope for the defense of our civilization and for the building of a better civilization In the future. I have the profound conviction that the American people are now determined to put forth a mightier effort than they have ever yet made to Increase our production of all tho implements of defense, to meet the threat to our democratic faith. As president of the United States I call for that national effort, I call for it in the name of this nation which we love and honor and which we are privileged and proud to serve. I call upon our people with absolute confidence that our common cause will greatly succeed. * - t " Jt V COMMENT8 ON MEN AND THING8 Hy Spectator ???? 1 The Now Year la here. 1940 la now history ami a part of the Ioiik record of mankind. A year ago ]>erhapa wo planned for 1940. How did the year turn out? , Wo want to be successful In our ventures; wo want to win in the struggle and competition of life; but sometimes the greatest victory grows out of defeat. A man Isn't whipped until he surrenders, Great nations have lost many battles, yet have won the war. They stuck to it; when all seemed hopeless, they kept up tho tight. Some one has written of an interview with James J. Corbett. Older men will remember that Corbett won the fistic championship of the world by defeating old John 1a Sulllvan, the man who Is said to have knocked'an ox down with his fist. Corbett was so swift and elusive that be stepped in and delivered blows on the person of his opponent, but sidestepped or ducked so quickly that he escaped the punches of his opponents. In two of his most celebrated fights he out-boxed, out-hit, out fought his rivals, yet he was dofeated. In tho fight In which ho lost the championship ho virtually had beaten Fltzslmmbns to pieces, but Fitz istayed on until he delivered his famous body plow which stretched Corbett in agony on the floor. Old Hob Fltzslmmons was beaten, badly beaten, and this day of weaklings would huve been counted out as a loser who had suffered so much punishment he must bo spared. But Fltzslmmons wasn't whipped because he was still In the ring. There he was. groggy and . battered but still on his feet. And in one unlucky moment for Corbett, Fltzslmmons struck the blow which made Corbett writhe In agony and made Fltzslmmons champion of the world? j Life, sometimes, Is like that; let's hold on; perhaps we can win if we keep at it. i Soon the Legislature will be with us again. The Senators and Represents-j lives will find much awaiting them. A deficit of perhaps three and a haJf, million dollars will stare at the members. for the Budget Commission will not exercise the powers conferred by j statute, to reduce appropriations. But not only will the members face tho deficit, but they will find most of the public services asking for more money. this call reaching its strongest note in tho request for three and a half million dollars for the Department of Welfare. ' As though deficits and calls for more money wore not enough to occupy our legislators, there will be strong demands for reduction In some services. On top of that a real battle will be waged to outlaw liquor. That battle will be a major engagement and no mere skirmish. That program seems enough tq, justify the prediction of a long session. Then certain remedial measures are coming up with strong organized support. Among them bills to curb tho punitive damage practice and a resolution to ratify the will of the people for bi-ennial sessions of the General Assembly. A bill will be introduced for a State wage and hour law. Such a law is a beautiful idea, but it usually slaps the l>oor man in the face. For example, many a business will do without the services of thoso whom such laws are supposed to help. In such a case is not a half loaf better than no bread? Many people go to restaurants, diug stores and cafeterias for ten-cent breakfasts, twenty five-cent lunches, and the like. If those concerns are rpqulred to pay twice as much in wages they will do without most of their "help". Thousands of people would prefer to carry their own trays than to pay ten cents more for the same meal. Most of those who need their jobs would lose them. Instead of their present wages (on which they live) they would get nothing. Would that be a benefit? Let us take office help, clerks, young fellows working In shops and gamges. If a schedule like twenty cents an hour for eight hours -were imposed they would lose their jobs. There Is something which our eocial theorists don't seem to understand: that some enterprises operate on a somewhat inefficient basis, but cannot operate on any other basis. Even at that, they pay their assistants, and their assistants live on their earnings. If only efficient concerns may operate, perhaps most of our small business will shut down. Most of the business of this nation is small business: and most of it operates more or less inefficiently. Almost nobody lives according to any rule of absolute efficiency. In our living, in our work, we have a lot of lost motion, quite a bit of misdirected energy, and no little sluggishness when energy might be desirable. Those methods enter into our work also. As to efficiency, I doubt if a tenth of our business enterprises are operated 011 a plan of even relative efficiency, meaning that the right thing is always done, at the right time, in the right place, and in the right manner, without lost motion, confusion, or errors anywhere. Unless we can convert all our business to a purely mechanical scheme we shall go along more or less as now. Even then the management in the office may have such let-down, as are human. So, when I say that a small concern cannot operate on the average wagehour basis, and am told by some fi smart theorist that such a business should be shut down as inefficient, I marvel at the wisdom of those who have never successfully managpd a business, and I wonder how long we shall do all these things which throw men out of work. Our national policy is a contradiotk>n. We maintain the W. P.\A. in order to give men and women work, on the theory that every one should have an opportpnity to work and to support himself and his dependents by his work; while at the same time we promote measures which increase unemployment, as I've shown. Farm wages in our State are low. One could talk at length about the condition of wage hands; but tenantfarmers are not prosperous; nor are landlords. But wage-hands manage to live, and have managed to lire for years, on small wages and seasonal work. If their standard of living is low?which of course it is?the standard of small fanners is low, too. If some one should advocate a ten dollar a week wage for farm labor, three . fourths of the Colored farm labor would be without Jobs, without shelter, without food?and a great part of th$ land would be untilled; and a men with capital would operate -With machinery. Now would thaWt>? A social gain? Yet it works 001 that way in other lines of buatnea?. also. r" We have In our country thousands of people whose earning capacity Is small. Shall we use them, according to their "several afctilty". or shall we i lay down a rule which bars that onetalent men from working? Livestock Guide For January Attention To start the new year right with livestock, county farm agent, suggests these ideas for January. Animal Husbandry. Balance corn for hogs with fish meal, skimmilk, or tankage. Allow beef cattle ample . < cheap roughage. Kpr fall calves turn bull with cows about January ID. Glvo Idle mules free acceaas to roughage. V but cut the grain to a half ration. 800 that all classes of llvo?t<>ck have oholtor, with extra bedding during cold nights. Make use of barley, rye and oats for hog and cattle grazing. Dairying.?Mako Inventory of livestock, feed, and equipment. Decide now whether you will have silage uext fall ami plan for Its production. Analyze herd records and decide where you can improve In management and feeding. Repair* pasture fences, clean out undergrowth, and stop washes In pastures. Plan now for improving permanent pustures and for Hummer crops to supplement permanent pastures. Start the new year right by keeping dully milk and Iced records ou qach cow. Mako January 14; Spartanburg county, January 15; a planning month for the comiug year. ?i.. _ . .* ' Poultry. Mate breeders for batcheggs. Mako special breeding pen of best hens and podigreed male to produce cockerels for next year's matIngs. Provide breeders with green range. Get ready for baby chicks. Move brooder houses to new ground before starting chicks.