AMERICA AS ARSENAL.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1939, Page 4

AMERICA AS ARSENAL.

ALTHOUGH it. has been effected in face of a great deal of opposition talk, it need not be doubled that the removal ol the United States embargo on the export of arms to belligerents reflects the will of an overwhelming majority of the American people. It has been made pla.in in recent weeks that the weight of American opinion is as definitely in favour ol 1 lie removal of the embargo as it is in favour of keeping out ol the war.

So far as the United States is concerned, the sufficient answer 1o German protests against the lifting of the embargo assuming always that any answer is deemed necessary—is that the action taken' legalises'the sale of arms and munitions, on a cash and carry basis, not to the Allies only, bid 1o any belligerent. If Germany is unable to make purchases in Hie conditions thus laid down that is her own affair and no concern of the United States.

Subject as it is to the cash and carry provision, the lifting of the embargo of course will be immensely valuable and helpful to Britain and France. Both the Allied countries— Britain in particular—are in a position by mobilising the American investments of their nationals to finance very large purchases of arms and munitions. German submarines no doubt will make every effort to sink ships conveying war material across the Atlantic, bid. the experience ol the last war as well as of this war has neon that the success ol the underwater craft against guarded convoys has always been small.

While it is important to the Allies as it bears upon the supply of many details of war equipment needed in land ami sea< operations, the lifting of the arms embargo probably is most important, of all as it bears on the production and supply of aircraft. Thousands of planes are already being ordered by Britain and France and the opportunity of drawing on the output of the American aircraft factories obviously will facilitate immensely the development of the Empire scheme under which airmen from all the. Dominions are to receive advanced training in Canada. From that standpoint -m-' '><> lifting of the Ame” : mr .embark hqs if s plae' seem like’ QUtCQUF