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-2- Ido not blame England for this hope, or for asking for our assist- ance. But we now know that ghe declared a war undor circumstances which led to the defeat of ovory nation that eldod with hor from Poland to Greeco. We know that in tho dosporation of war England promised to all these nations armod assistance that she could not sonds Wo know that eho misinformed thom, as she Epplawe hae misinformed us, concerning her state of preparation, hor military strength, and tho progress of the war. / Mol “Reh *) In time of war, truth is always replaced by propaganda. J do not believe we hhould be too quick to, criticize the actions of a belligerent nation. There is always the quest Jon whet her we, ourselves, would do better under similer (ct “aet) circumstances. But we in this country have a right to think of the wolfare of hong Cppawe America first, just as the people in England thought first of their om country when 1 nine the smaller natione of Europe to fight against hopeloss odds. Whon England aske us to onter thie war, she ie considering hor own futuro, 4 and that of hor Empire. In making our reply, I believe we should consider the future of the United States and that of the Western Homisphoro. /f4eth-on) It is not only our right, but it is our obligation as American citizone to look at this war objectively, and to weigh our chances for eucccose if we ehould enter it. I havo attempted to do this, espocially from the etandpoint of aviations and I havo boen forced to the conclusion that we cannot win thie Stn ef m a“ moactinasg «* tac sue _ neo #0 extend A > f now much assistance we axtone. CO ffane/ ce WEE I ask you to look at the s mp of E Europe today and eee"f you can suggest any way in which we could win this war if we entered it. Suppose we had a lar vse om iy?) Ana geety trained re Aan ee Where would wa send it te fight? iu. The campaigna of the war show only too clearly how difficult it ie to force a lending, or to maintain an army, on a hostile coast. Suppose we took cur navy from the Pacific, and used it to convoy British shipping. That would not win the war for England. -It would, at best, permit her to exist under the constant bombing of the German air flect. Supposo we had an air force that we could send to Europe. Where could it operate? Some of our equadrons might be basod in the British Ieless; but it is physically impossible to basc enough aircraft in tho Britieh Isies alono to equal in etrongth the eircraft that ean bo based on the continent of Europe. I have asked these questions on the supposition that we had in exiet- ence an army and an air force large enough and weil enough equipped to send to Europe: and that we would dare to remove cur navy from the Pacific. Even on this basis, I do not see how we could invade the continent of Europe successfully