Is Tomorrow Hitler's? 200 Questions on the Battle of MankindKnickerbocker, H. R. (Hubert Renfro)
History
Is Tomorrow Hitler's? 200 Questions on the Battle of Mankind
Knickerbocker, H. R. (Hubert Renfro)
Europe -- Politics and government -- 1918-1945; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945 -- United States
A. No, they are not of equal prominence, not even the ex-President,
because Lindbergh had something that appealed so profoundly to America
that he has not lost it all yet, and he towers in influence above our
other isolationists, some of whom are plainly patriotic but deluded
citizens. Lindbergh, however, is, I am convinced, mainly responsible
for the long hesitation of this country to go to war to defend its
life. I do not intend to impugn Lindbergh’s sincerity, but surely there
is something wrong with a man who declares as he does that we should
not go to war, among other reasons, because we are not united, then
does his utmost to disunite us still further.
Mayor La Guardia, in his capacity as Director of Civilian Defense,
pleaded at a mass meeting in Philadelphia for all Americans not in
agreement with the Administration’s foreign policy not to do or
say anything that might give aid or comfort to a potential enemy.
Exactly twenty-four hours later, stepping on La Guardia’s heels,
Lindbergh addressed another mass meeting in Philadelphia and attacked
the President of the United States in terms so violent that they
were widely interpreted as calling for a revolution against the
Administration.
It was that famous speech which he was compelled to retract in part
since it alarmed so many even of his followers. Mrs. Kathleen Norris,
the novelist, a prominent member of the America First Committee, and
present on the platform with Lindbergh, told reporters that afternoon,
in answer to a question, that she could “swear that no member of the
committee is mixed up with any subversive activity.” “Subversive” means
“tending to overthrow, upset, or destroy,” which is precisely what
Lindbergh’s speeches attempt to do to the Administration of the United
States.
None of the isolationist crowd can compare with Lindbergh in
importance to the Fifth Column in America. From the point of view
of American national security and the future of this country he is
America’s Public Enemy Number One, because he was once so incomparably
America’s National Hero of Heroes, and some American people still hope
that now from their former idol, politically unbranded, apparently
disinterested, they can finally get the truth and the light. For
the most part, Americans do not realize what has happened to their
National Hero, although fortunately throughout the country there is a
deep-seated distrust of anyone who has taken up an attitude so palpably
favorable to the nation’s enemies.
Q. _What is the reason for the divorce between Lindbergh and the
American people who used to worship him unanimously? The crowds he
has at America First rallies may number thousands--mostly Nazis and
their sympathizers, I take it--but Lindbergh used to have 130,000,000
Americans cheering him._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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