We Are At War.

Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois) Dec 9, 1941

We Are At War.

(An Editorial)

Japan’s unprovoked and unannounced attack upon the United States removed any remaining doubt about this nation’s position in the world conflict.

We are at war. While it was Japan who attacked us, the other Axis partners, Germany and Italy, are equally our enemies. There is no longer reason for pretense. The United States is in the war and there is no question about who the enemies are.

Japan’s savage attack upon unsuspecting Hawaii is exactly what we should expect from the Axis nations. Germany always strikes first and then announces intentions. Italy stepped into the war with an attack upon France when France was prostrate. Japan’s every move against China has followed the same pattern.

Japan’s method of procedure did bring about united determination in this country to devote all energy to the production of the war. It is reprehensible to us that a nation should make an attack at the very moment its envoys were seemingly engaged in peace negotiations.

Hemisphere solidarity seems assured. The Latin-American nations will give valuable aid, economically, and in furnishing bases and patrols.

We must steel ourselves for a real fight. Japan will not be a push-over. She has been preparing for this conflict for years. The fighting will be on her side of the Pacific, a decided advantage.

We will suffer serious losses. They must be expected. This is real war — grim, relentless war. No quarter will be asked or expected.

The United States faces a tremendous responsibility in the now world-encircling clash between totalitarian and Democratic ideas. We must continue to supply Great Britain, Russia and China, and in addition give our own fighting forces every support.

Our so-called “defense effort” has been little more than half-hearted. Now we must forget all our nationalistic differences, put aside all thought of personal advantage, ignore partisanship and put every effort behind the President and the military forces on the sea, in the air and in the field.

Nothing must be permitted to stand in the way of our prime purpose.

We have a war to win.

Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois) Dec 8, 1941

Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois) Dec 8, 1941

Edwardsville Intelligencer (Edwardsville, Illinois) Dec 9, 1941

Two Hundred Years Aloft

Two centuries are the aggregate ages of these flying oldsters, Mrs. Almatia Bennett, 101, of Chicopee Fallls, Mass., and Charles W. Bradley, 99. By way of celebrating Mrs. Bennett’s 101st anniversary, they flew from Boston to Old Orchard, Me. And after an hour in the air Grandma Bennett said she would fly again on her 102nd birthday.

The Athens Messenger (Athens, Ohio) Sep 14, 1927