War Party?

This week Congress convenes in a momentous session to decide the U. S. stand on neutrality for the opening of World War II. This week a FORTUNE survey will show that: 1) two-thirds of the American people are against a strict U. S. isolationist policy; only 25% oppose all trade with belligerents; 2) 83% want Britain and France to win the war; 65% thought they could (before Russia came in); 3) 17% are willing to send U. S. armed forces to fight for the Allies, and 20% favor helping them by all means short of war. Further FORTUNE findings:

P:Only 1% of U. S. people want Germany to win the war.

P:Of those who would send U. S. armed forces to fight for the Allies, women are almost as numerous as men.

P:Negroes lead all other classes in wanting to fight Hitler, the poor are keener than the rich.

P:For every pro-war citizen in the central wheat basin there are six in the South.

P:Farmers and smalltowners are twice as pro-war as metropolitanites.

Concludes FORTUNE: "The U. S. desire to remain at peace does not. . . seem to be accompanied by a firm conviction that we shall properly be able to keep out of war."

A similar finding that there is a war-minded U. S. minority was obtained last week by a Gallup poll. Question: "If it looks within the next few months as if England and France might be defeated, should the United States declare war on Germany and send our troops abroad?" Answer: 40% "Yes."

In other ways last week Americans voiced their war thoughts:

P:Veterans of the ist Division (first U. S. troops to go overseas in World War I) met in Los Angeles, took the stump for neutrality. Said one ex-doughboy: "All that we lost in France in 1917 and 1918 was the flower of our manhood and our money . . . it's too late to go back and look for them now."

P:In Atlantic City 5,000 United Spanish War Veterans adopted a resolution asking the President and Congress to "keep us out of war, save and except in defense of our liberties and our beloved institutions and ideals."

P:To 10,000 Italian-American delegates to the Sons of Italy convention in San Francisco, Stefano Miele (Supreme Venerable of the society) exclaimed: "Let us thank God that America is neutral."

P:The American Farm Bureau Federation demanded prompt repeal of Neutrality Act embargo provisions, substitution of cash-&-carry basis, with profits restricted.

P:To his members, U. S. Chamber of Commerce President W. Gibson Carey Jr. sent a message: "We business men . . . wish no profit advantage through the wrecking of great cultural and spiritual values. . . . We want peace in the world."

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