PUBLIC OPINION: Fear, But Not of Entanglement

Traditional American optimism and traditional American isolationist sentiment have both gone to pot. The American people are gloomy about their post-war future —but they want the U.S. to take larger part in world affairs after the war is over.

These are the striking results published in FORTUNE'S December issue of one of the most extraordinary polls ever conducted by the FORTUNE Survey.

Gloom. The evidence of national pessimism, a trait entirely alien to the U.S., is exceptionally well documented. It is a gloom that is not due to fear that the Allies will lose the war—72.5% expect them to win it (only...