The Archive · 1941

Pepper Says U.S

Ready For War — Fiery Speech Made by Senator; People Said Prepared for Action

Washington, May 7.

Senator Claude Pepper, Democrat of Florida. yesterday told the Senate that the American people are willing to "spill their blood" to crush Germany and are eagerly awaiting "responsible and authoritative" government leadership to put forward a Programme to defeat the Axis.

Senator Pepper said that the loss of life which would result from American military action at this time would be preferable to the risk of having to-send an American Expeditionary Force abroad later.

In a fiery speech, the Senator also advocated U.S. occupation of points in the Far East and crushing of Japan ky military force.

"It we lost a few lives now the sacrifice. would be immaterial compared with what we would have to make at some future time." Senator Pepper said.

"The fact is that for meny years after the Great, War, both as a private citizen and as Secretory of State, I laboured with my fullest strength for establishment of a reign of law among nations, under which their controversies should be settled by judicial methods instead of by force. There wes a time when such a movement seemed full of hope. Today that time has passed—temporarily, we trust—and our hopes of peace have been dashed by international aggression, "The world is facing so great a crisis that all our efforts must be turned toward the defence of our nation's safety, For that reason tonight I am speaking of that crisis and of our defence in meeting it, "In 1933, a group of-men under the leadership of Adolf Hitler obtained possession of the government of Germany and overthrow the German Republic, Both within and without Germany they have set Time to "Get Tough"

The time has come for the Americal people to "get tough with soms-body on the foreign front." he said adding that the United States, together with Britain should occupy Dakar, tne Cape Verde Islands and other sea approaches to West Africa and Greenland, At the same time, Senator Pepper called on President Roosevelt to proclaim a state of full emergency and to speed up war aid to the Democra-otos.

Senator Pepper advocated that the United States occupy points in the Far East that would "shut the Japanese navy back in its own lair."

"A few American pilots and a few first class American bombers can make a shambles out of Tokyo" he

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