WASHINGTON May 9, 1945 12:20PM E.W.T.
A Republican leader in Congress charged that President Truman’s declaration of “victory in Europe” yesterday was “dangerous and premature.”
“This so-called victory,” said Congressman Hugh Scott (R, PA) to reporters on the Capitol steps, “does not bring us any closer to peace, or bring any more freedom to the world.”
“Our Democratic president claimed he was fighting to prevent tyranny, but what has he really accomplished? Communists are making inroads in France and Italy, and Stalin controls Poland. Wasn’t preserving Polish freedom supposedly the reason this so-called ‘World War’ began in the first place?”
“President Truman and the Democrats have let us down,” added Republican House Conference Chairman Roy Woodruff. “It was Japan who attacked us, yet Tojo and Hirohito remain at large, three and a half years later. The Democrats’ foolish European campaign has cost us thousands of lives and millions of dollars, and distracted us from our real enemies. Japan attacked us on December 7, 1941, not Germany.”
Other Republicans, and even some centrists, argue that Germany was never a threat to the United States. “They had no navy, no rockets that could reach our cities,” said one peace activist. “It’s not like Germany was ever going to invade us. They never even got across the English Channel.”
Still, Democrats maintain that the European Theater was vital to American interests. In a quiet session with reporters yesterday, President Truman defended his actions, and those of his predecessor, the late Franklin Roosevelt. “I’ll tell you what,” Truman said in his simple Missouri way, “beating the Germans sent a message that Nazism won
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