(Alf Landon - in 1941 had a curious solution to our problem in Europe)
After an unsuccessful run for President against FDR in 1936, former Republican Governor from Kansas Alf Landon went back to the oil business and sat on the sidelines, taking up a vast array of positions with regards to our Foreign Policy. He was against isolation but was tacitly for Lend-Lease, but only in the sense that the U.S. should hand a check over and quietly go away - presumably tossing dollar bills at Britain, rather than actual arms and equipment. But if push came to shove, then the U.S. would have to get into the fracas.
Alf Landon: “So far, in our aid to the British we are following, step by step, the pattern of the last World War. First: Materials. Second: Money. Third: Men. I’m willing to take the first two steps, but not the third. (applause). Boldly stated, this brings little disagreement, publicly at least. But the way we do the first and the second is the answer to the third. To many of us are overlooking the inevitable effect of our actions regardless of our intentions. Those who really mean all aid short of war should specifically say; No convoying, No American ships in war zones. (applause) Are we for, or against sending convoys of American ships into the war zone? Or lending any more of our defense equipment, over the protest of Army and Navy officials? This, ladies and gentlemen, is a vital issue. Because the minute an American ship is sunk, the American flag is fired upon, and Americans are killed, we are then in the war as we should be with men. That means we have to underwrite a victory for Great Britain. If we’re not to undertake that, we cannot give a blank check to Great Britain.”
Not exactly a clear-cut position, which probably spoke volumes about his run for the White House in 1936. Nevertheless, he did speak for a large portion of the Republican base just prior to our involvement in World War 2.
