Washington Star, February 21, 1939
37-
2Z-
Administration Policy
Of'Practical Defense'
Upheld by Pittman
Senate Foreign Relations
Chairman, in Forum
Speech, Hits Fear
Senator Key Pittman of Nevada,
chairman of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, spoke last
night on "Our Foreign Policy" in
the National Radio Forum, arranged
by The star and broadcast over a
'Nation-wide network of the Na-
tional Broadcasting Co. The text
of his address follows:
I am here tonight by Invitation
of the National Radio Forum, spon-
sored by The Washington Evening
Star, to discuss the subject—"Our
Foreign Policy."  It Is the most
- Austria, since, the World War.
adopted and practiced a policy of
Isolation. Behold Austria! Ethi-
opia practiced the policy of Isola-
tion.; Note the condition of Ethl-
kopla'.j Czecho-Slovakla, under the
J-rules; of the League of Nations,
{practiced the policy of isolation.
Kmcjio,;Slovakia's territory has been
Hlvided up, its government destroyed
land Its spirit of democracy annihi-
!3ated! Witness China. No people
¦and no government ever practiced
Wore sincerely the doctrine, of iso-
lation! They Interfered with no
father government and no other peo-
Iple. They made no preparation for
(defense, relying upon their peaceful
fotlltudc. the treaty promises of other
(governments and their pronounced
mnd practiced policy of isolation, t?
ft Lei us now return to the policy
! :©f conquest and domination through
'military force and the threat of the
Juse' of military force. This policy
jihas been adopted and is now being
[•practiced by the governments of
{Germany. Italy and Japan, three of
¦the most powerful military govern-
ments in the world. These govern-
ments are absolutely controlled by
Arbitrary and ruthless dictators:
Vital question now pending for de- K#rmtinv hv niibr Ttniv hv Mum.
termination by the American peo- ^^0^^'. 3.,?
pie and their Congress.
It will be unfortunate, indeed, for
the future safety and welfare of our
country if our citizens fail to give
substantial support to their Gov-
ernment in the administration of
our foreign policy. This support
will not be obtained unless our citi-
zens study the fundamental prln-
lini and Japan by a small military
'clique.
Statements Serve as Guide.
B What are the Intentions of these
military dictators? Do their policies
[constitute any threat to the safety
[of the United States? We can only
[determine these questions by a
Study of the statements and the ac-
Etlons of these military dictators.
ciples underlying the policy, and Igrime does not permit me to read
Are not distracted in their thoughts !£he numerous statements of these
and actions by local situations, race (dictators. They have been pub-
prejudlces, political partisanship, Eshed time and again. -They have
demagoguery, or propaganda sus- f&ll ridiculed democratic forms of
nlcion aroused by Inflammatory government. They have even pitied
headlines with regard to insignlfl- w people in the United States be-
cant incidents. cause, as they allege, our Govern-
There are only four fundamental fcient is too weak and cowardly not
foreign policies of governments.
These policies may be stated as
follows:
1. A policy based upon conquest
of territory and domination of the
fonly to protect our citizens and our
Institutions from abroad, but even
to protect our peaceful citizens from
•lawlessness at home. They have de-
Bed the League of Nations, the nine-
lives of the nationals of other 1 mower treaty and every Instrumen-
tations through military force or I frailty that governments have set up
the threat of the use of military
force.
1 2. The policy of appeasement,
j 3. The policy of defense. This
policy Includes the protection of a
country's territory, and the rights
of Its nationals throughout the uni-
verse. It holds that such protection
'shall be accomplished, first, through
5very established, peaceful instru-
lentality; second, through every
legal resistance to encroachments
upon the integrity of a nation's ter-
ritory and the rights of its nation-
als; and third and lastly, through
the use of physical force if every
sr means has failed, to success-
defend Its territory and the
its of its nationals,
fourth Policy Is Isolation.
4. The last of the four policies,
Which some governments have prac-
ticed, is the policy of Isolation.
I shall very briefly discuss, first.
¦0 protect the integrity and the
Sights of small governments against
{unjust domination and conquest and
¦or the preservation of peace among
all nations.
1 The statement does not require
confirmation to those who read.
Croat Britain and France urged
.that there should be arbitration
with regard to the Sudetenland.
jWas this agreed' to? No. Hitler
had 1,000,000 soldiers on the border
Of Czecho-Slovakia. He had more
airplanes than France and Great
Britain combined. He and Musso-
lini had twice the capacity for pro-
duction of airplanes of Great Britain
and France. Hitler refused to arbi-
trate the justice of his demands.
•Why? Because Great Britain and
^France had discovered that Hitler
had a dominating military force in
the air and on land.
Could there be any more perfect
this latter policy, as, unfortunately, demonstration of rule by force than
In spite of the history of its uniform F» determination of the conference
I puerility, it is urged by some of our      Munich? This also clearly ex-
citlzcns—even by men and women jposes the puerility of the power
Of prominence. \P' appeasement.   Hitler was not
The people of a country, through Juneasy.   The British government
their government, can Isolate them-1 j" 1832 abandoned the policy of
selves for a time by refraining from «elense and adopted the policy of
taking any part in world affairs, appeasement. It has practiced such
They cannot, however, by this ac- t^cy oi appeasement ever since,
tlonlmoosc Isolation upon any other »™1*>ut accomplishing anything for
countryVnor can they prevent any WUmate peace, but on the contrary
.other country from violating their to me encouragement and aid of the
Isolation. We have so many recent
examples of peoples and their gov-
ernments attempting to protect
their^ territory and their peace and
safety through the doctrine of isola-'
tlon that the Impracticability of
the .policy Is self-evident. ¦«
—---B
ambition, of the dictator govern-
ments, which ambition, unless ob-
structed, inevitably will lead to the
most disastrous war In all history.
When Japan challenged the In-
dictment of the League of Nations
and the opinion of the world in
1932, and continued her conquest
of Manchuria (a part of China),
the policy of appeasement of Great
Britain was expressed by Mr. Simon
when he yielded to Japan on the
promise that Japan would not inter-
fere with the open-door policy in
Manchuria and the commerce of
Great Britain. Of course Japan
never Intended to maintain the
open-door policy in Manchuria, and
did not maintain such policy. On
the contrary, through a fiction of
local self-government, Japan has
practically excluded the commerce
of all countries—except her own—
from Manchuria.
Again, when Mussolini undertook
his unprovoked conquest of Ethi-
opia, the British government, with
absolute Influence over the League
of Nations, composed of over 52
nations, after actuating them to
assert the policy of the League of
Nations, retreated under the policy
of appeasement. Ethiopia was con-
quered. Hitler advanced and forti-
fied the Rhine, and Great Britain,
under the policy of appeasement,
did nothing. Hitler conquered Aus-
tria without battle, and Great Brit-
ain yielded under the policy
of appeasement. Czecho-Slovakia,
whose territorial and political in-
tegrity were guaranteed by Great
Britain and France and 52 other
nations, was yielded to the military
domination of Hitler under the
policy of appeasement.
The policy of appeasement has ac-
complished nothing for ultimate
peace. The policy of appeasement
has accomplished nothing for jus-
tice and liberty. The policy of ap-
peasement has been but a process
of surrender and retreat before mili-
tary force, with the abandonment
of every treaty and every promise
of protection to the Independence of
small countries and the liberty of
peoples. May we say," however, in
support of the policy of appease-
ment .that it has postponed a few
days the execution of the victims!
The policy of appeasement has not
only been unsuccessful and ulti-
mately destructive, but has been
Immoral. It is evident that no per-
son can die but once, and the period'
of life Is limited, and that it is far
better that he die a few days earlier
for Christianity, justice and liberty
than that he live a little longer in
cowardice and degeneracy.
Hitler told Chamberlain that he
was only interested in the borders
of the Sudetenland. A few weeks
later he changed the borders of
Czecho-Slovakia in many other par-
ticulars. He declined to permit the
borders of Poland .and Hungary to
be Joined. Why? Because every
student of history knows that he in-
tends to preserve an alley through
which he can conquer Ukranla.
I   Does any one doubt that Hitler
has in his program the domination
of Ukrania? in fact, does any one
I doubt that Efttler has the domina-
tion of Siberia In mind? Jfrso, sim-
ply read his book. "Meln Kampf."
He Is moving eastward at present.
Is he succeeding? Hasn't Hungary j
joined his alliance? Hasn't Hungary'
been compelled to discharge Imredy,
Its anil-Nazi premier, and place in
| his stead a Nazi premier?' Old not
the policy of appeasement of Great
Britain surrender to the mercy of
1 Hitler not only Czecho-Slovakla but
tPoland; Rumania, Yugoslavia and
i'Turkey?. What Is there to stop his
! domination. If not conquest, of these
countries?  What can Holland and
Denmark dp with regard to the de-
| rnands of Hitler, in view of Hitlers
j dominating military force and policy
| and the policy of appeasement of
Great Britain?
For the time being, we will pass!
Mussolini. He has militarized Italy i
to the fullest extent. He has a tre- ij
mendous military force. He is by
force of circumstances—and -may
continue to be—in the Berlln-Rome-
Toklo axis.
How about Japan?  Any student I
of history knows the fixed policy of I
Japan.  It has been announced too!
often to be misunderstood.   It is j
the domination of Eastern Asia, in-
eluding the islands of the Pacific
It is a domination based upon mill-
tary power.  These assertions have
been made by many students of his-
tpry and by me on the floor of the
Senate many times. S Every state-
ment and-every act of the militar-
istic clique of Japan justifies these
conclusions with regard to their in- j
tenttons. They are today challeng-'
ing not only their sacred agreement;
with us, with China and other pow-1
ers to preserve and protect the po-1
litical Integrity of China, but they
, are violating their solemn agreement
i with us for equal opportunities In
China of our citizens with the sub-
jects of Japan. They are now tak-
ing possession of and fortifying the
island of Hainan, only 700 miles
from the Philippine Islands. These!
fortifications will control the com- j
merce of the Far Western Pacific.1
They have by word and act Ignored,!
repudiated and challenged their sa- ]
cred agreement under the nine-,
power pact,   They have through
their military authorities and other-
wise informed us definitely that
there Is a new order in Eastern Asia,
and that we are out of the picture.
This Is the history of the acts, at
least, of the dictator, powers. Their
Intent to dominate the world Is evi-
dent to any unbiased thinking per-
son. Well, how can this affect us
is asked by even those who have;
the right to be called statesmen. It-
must be evident that at the present-
ambitious dictators. That might be
a presumption. As a matter of fact,
we know that the three dictatorial
powers, Germany, Italy and Japan,
are Increasing their populations and
influence in Bat in America, we
know that these dictatorial powers
are through every means, monetary,
financial and political, preparing for
the domination of Latin America.
Of course, this penetration Into
Latin America does not become
pertinent, and will not become per-
tinent until and unless these to-
talitarian powers have obtained suf-
ficient domination In Europe and
Asia to permit them to move in force
against Latin America. Any rea-
sonable man will say that that is
possible. Any reasonable man would
say we should protect against such
possibility.
We hear pacifists say we will de-
fend our own shores, but we will
fight nowhere else. Will we fight
against the threat to our own shores?
Where does the threat start? Are
\ve to wait until a fleet lands its
marines on the Atlantic and Pacific
and its airplanes bomb our cities?
Are we to wait until military forces
are established on our borders and
airplane bases established that may
freely bomb the Panama Canal,
before we act? * Are we to pursue
the policy of appeasement and sur-
render and retreat before the threat
of war, until our own country has
been made the battleground of a
foreign invader, and our aged and
our women and children are bombed
from the air?
I assert that no patriotic Amer-
ican citizen will-agree to such a
cowardly, unpatriotic and disastrous
policy.
. And what is our foreign, policy in
the circumstances? I have at-
tempted to state it in the third
policy. The President, in his mes-
sage to Congress, clearly stated our
policy, as I have attempted* to re-,
state it here. We- will enter into
no entangling alliances, we will
be prepared, singly and alone, to
time there is nothing to stop the!
conquest of Europe and Asia by the •
three dictator powers. Does that
affect us? I pass the question of our
islands in the Pacific. I pass the .
question as to whether after their
conquest they would directly attack
the United States. The question Is,
would they attempt to dominate the
Latin American republics? Some¦
may say "Why should they?" Others,
may say "No." As a matter of fact,
the broad areas of Latin America
with Its vast resources of natural
wealth can not be overlooked by!
successfully defend our country, its
Institutions and our citizens. We
will not aid a government whose
policy Is based upon conquest and
military domination. We will not
refuse, the oppressed governments
any aid that we may legally, give
them, short of war. We will pre-
pare, without alliance, to defend our
Government, Its institutions, its peo-
ple and ithelr rights against any
illegal and unjust attacks. We will,
unafraid, resist any encroachments
upon the rights of our citizens under,
any treaties with us by every legal
means at our command short of
war, relying upon this power which
in my opinion Is sufficient and will
avert war. .We are not frightened,
however, by the circumstances that,
this resistance may cause some other
country to declare war upon us.
In the first place, that declaration
would be both absurd and futile.
No country can successfully attack
our shores. In the second place, our
people are not cowardly. While
they hate war they are not afraid
to die for Christianity, morality, j
justice and liberty. Many a mistake I
has been made in past history by
not letting  dictator governments
know this on the start. They prob-
ably would never have moved. That
we will die, however, for  these i
things we consider worth-more than :
life, we know.   And possibly we I
will preserve peace, by telling people
who do not understand these, things, |
what we intend to do and will do.
There  is  a  propaganda going
through this country today that
would be despisahle except that it
is pitifulS-preaching the doctrine of
fear; fear, that if we assert our right
to "enjoy"religion; morality and Jus3
lice and our right to liberty, that
we will be forced Into war.
We are told that the legal things
that the President has done to date
are leading us into war as we were
led into war in 1917.
The situations In 1917 and today
with regard to our foreign policy are
entirely different. Prior to the
World War our people, our President
and our Congress asserted the rights
of our citizens to enjoy the freedom
of the seas under the accepted rules
of international law. That law was
definite as to neutrals having a right
to trade with neutrals. Neutrals,
had a right to trade even with bel-
ligerents. No ship of neutrals could,
be destroyed when trading with neu-
trals; no ship of a neutral could be
destroyed even when trading with'
a belligerent and even if carrying,
contraband of war, without first
making provision for the* safety of
those on board the snip. Both aides
in the World War denied neutrals
their right under- International law.
The only difference was that one.
side did not destroy lives, and the
other did.
President Wilson protested against
the violation of our neutral rights
for months and months, and then
came the final order of the German
government, which read as follows:
"Under these circumstances Ger-.
many will meet the Illegal measures
of her enemies by forceful prevent-
ing; after February I, 1917. In a*
zone around Great Britain, 'Prance;
Italy and the Eastern Mediterra-
nean, all .navigation, that of neu-
trals Included, from and to Eng-
land, from and to France, etc., etc.
All ships met with In that zone will
be sunk."
Remember that the line of this
zone was hundreds of miles out in
the Atlantic, and unmarked, and
excluded the neutral ships of the
United States from all the neutral
countries In Europe. Between Feb-
ruary 1, 1917. and the day of the
declaration bf war by the United
States, on April 6, our merchant
ships were destroyed in that zone
without notice, with the loss of the
lives of 73 of our citizens.
The people of this country chose
war. The President of the United
States was impelled to ask for a
declaration of war, but It was the
Congress of the United States under
the Constitution, and the Congress
alone, that declared war. - Congress
could have refused to declare war.
It didn't. Look back over the record
vote and- you will find that only a
few in each House voted against It
Today the foreign policy of our
Government has been modified by
the neutrality act passed by Con-
gress' and approved by President
Roosevelt. In effect it modifies. If
It doesn't abandon, our right to the
freedom of the seas under interna-
tional law. '
We will not now permit any arms,
ammunition or implements of war'I
cannot lead us into war. Every
member of Congress is an elected
representative of American citizens.
Never In the history of the United
States were, 'such representatives
more responsive to the will of their*
constituents. This Is right and in
accord with our form of represent-
ative Government. Congress, un-
der the accepted policy of our
Government, will not lead us Into
war.
Why further Impose upon the
credulity and the fear of our citi-
zens? Why Join in the policies ofr
appeasement or isolation that have
not made for peace but for war
throughout the world? Why not
wholeheartedly support the hon-
orable, peaceful and practicable'
policy of our administration? Every
patriotic., citizen will I
Does any one doubt that Hitler
has In his -program the domination
of Ukranla? In fact, does any one
doubt that Hitler has the domina-
tion of 8iberia In mind? If so, sim-
ply read his book, "Mein Kampf."
He Is moving eastward at present.!
Is he succeeding? Hasnt Hungary|
Joined his alliance? Hasnt Hungary
been compelled to discharge Imredy,
Its anti-Nazi premier, and place in
^nier^^
ambitious dictators. That might be through this country today that
apresimiptibffi: Asamatt«r o^ftct,UWOUld be desplsftble except that it
we know that toe three dictatorial} :k pitiful—preaching the doctrine of
powers, Germanylltaly and Japan,EW;^.M-toatif we assert our-right
are increasing their populatlons.ajMg«2 ?nJ°y reU6lon, morality and Jus-
influence, in Latin AmeriajM    ¦fe«nd oufright to liberty, that
know that these dictajtfjfl Wm£M war\ H
Jhe legal things
TErae to date
thedojaM were
are through
financial ^flgl
How auuu.
of history knows the iu».
Japan. It has been announces
often to be misunderstood.  It' is -
the domination of Eastern Asia, in- j
eluding the Islands of the Pacific.
It is a domination based upon mill-1
tary power.  These assertions have
been made by many students of his-!
lory and by me on the floor of the j
Senate many times. v Every state-
ment and- every act of the military
istic clique of Japan Justifies these
conclusions with regard to their in- i
tenttons. They are today challeng-'
ing not only their sacred agreement;
with us, with' China and other pow-'
ers to preserve and protect the po-
litical integrity of China, but they
are violating their solemn agreement
with us for equal opportunities in
China of our citizens with the sub-
jects of Japan. They are now tak-
ing possession of and fortifying the
island of Hainan, only 700 miles
from the Philippine Islands. These
fortifications will control the com-
merce of the Far Western Pacific.
They have by word and act Ignored,
repudiated and challenged their sa-
cred agreement under the nine-
power pact.   They have through
their military authorities and other-
wise informed us definitely that
there is a new order In Eastern Asia,
and that we are out of the picture.
before .
the policy oi ..
render and retreat ouura uio ihretu
of war, until our own country has
been made the battleground of fa;
foreign Invader, and our aged and
our women and children are bombed
from the air?
I assert that no patriotic Amezi
ican citizen will .agree to such *
cowardly, unpatriotic and disastrous
policy.
. And what is our foreign policy In
the circumstances? I have aCS
tempted to state it in the third]
policy. The President, in his me
sage to Congress, clearly stated
policy, as I have attempted' to r9
state it here. We- will enter info
no entangling alliances. We will
be prepared, singly and alonei^-tp
successfully defend our
institutions, -and our citiz
will not ¦aid a gOvernnienl
policy is based upon conquest and
military domination. We will not
¦refuse,, the oppressed governments
any aid that we may legally, give
them, short of war. We will pre-
Thlsls the history of the act^at ; Rare'J^#S^?1^"5.*:.!°.?ef?n_d-°Ur
least, of the dictator, powers. Their
Intent to dominate the world is evi-
dent to any unbiased thinking per-
son. Well, how can this affect us
is asked by even those who have
the right to be called statesmen. It;
must be evident that at the present
;to be shipped to any belligerent
Government, its institutions, its peo- 'country or to any neutral country
forreshipment to a belligerent
country. We will not permit any
products of the United States to
be shipped to a belligerent country
by a citizen of the United States.
The title must first be transferred
to a foreigner.' The President Is
pie and tthelr rights against any
illegal and unjust attacks. We will,
unafraid, resist any encroachments
upon the rights of our citizens under
any treaties with us by every legal
means at our command short of
war, relying upon this power which
.       ,„„ in my opinion is sufficient and will ? authorized to prevent our ships
tope £,!™T*/LtV & ISliiavert war. .We are not frightened, I from engaging in commerce with
^ue!&Su!? SSl.a« tW?that however, by the circumstances that t belligerents. Our dozens axe pro-
SStifrt i tLslh^wesU^of our this resistance may cause some other; hibited from traveling upon bellig-
affectus? I p^ m^uesuon ox our to declftre war upon ^    -erent passenger ships.
ouestton as to whether atter their    In the first place, that declaration wu»? .      «* ™*
the United States. The question Is, No country can successfully
may say "Why should they?" Others'they hate war they are not afraid
mavsay"No" As a matter of fact,1, to die for Christianity, morality,
the broad areas of Latin America Justice and liberty. Many a mistake
with its vast resources-of natural has been made In past history by
wMith can not be overlooked by not letting dictator governments
weaitn can xiu - •-_-. know this on the start. They prob-
ably would never have moved. That
we will die, however, for these
things we consider worth more than
life, we know. And possibly we
will preserve peace, by telling people
who do not understand these things,
what we Intend to.do and will do.
There is a propaganda going
on to lead us Into war and
cannot lead us. into war. Every
member of Congress is an elected t
representative of American citizens.
Never in the history of the United
States were! "such representatives
more responsive to the will of their'
constituents. This is right and in
accord with our form of represent-
ative Government. Congress, un-
der the accepted policy of our
Government, will not lead us into
war.
Why further impose upon the
credulity and the fear of our citi-
zens? Why Join In the policies of-
appeasement or isolation that have
not made for peace but for war
throughout the world? Why not
wholeheartedly support the hon-
orable, peaceful and practicable:
policy of our administration? Every
"qScluzen Kill