Wirarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1940. WAR ISSUES FOR AMERICA.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 May 1940, Page 4

Wirarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1940. WAR ISSUES FOR AMERICA.

JT is well established that- a great majority of the people of the United States desire to stay out of the war and few of them are likely to be disturbed in their attitude by contentions like that, advanced by a former British .hirst. Lord of the Admiralty, Mr A. Duff Cooper, that: “It was the duty of Americans to ensure a German defeat; otherwise the United States would be in a hopeless position.” The American people no doubt are sustained not a little in their present attitude by a belief that the Allied democracies will achieve victory without active American support. That being accepted as the position for the time being, there are nevertheless some war issues which definitely and directly concern the people of the United States. Ono of these issues is whether direct American help to the enemies of world democracy is to be continued or discontinued. That question was dealt with pointedly. though in studiously moderate terms, by the British Minister of Economic Warfare'(Mr ft. Cross) in a recent speech, which was specially ,broadeast to the United States. In admitting that there were still some leaks in the Allied blockade of Germany and instancing that many consignments destined for that country had reached Vladivostok, Air Cross said the United States had been the source of much of the raw materials going by.that route and added :— We wonder sometimes how far it is generally realised in your country that important supplies of key war materials have reached Germany in this way. It must in fact be known widely in the United States that large quantities of American war materials have reached Germany, not only by way of. Asiatic Russia, but through -European neutral States as well. Much information on this subject has been made public through the American newspaper Press by the Joint Boycott Council, an organisation formed by the American Jewish Congress and the Jewish Labour Committee when Hitler attained power in Germany. A report issued by this body in New York on. March 25 stated that while exports of copper, lead and other essential military metals .from the United States to Germany ceased during 1939, shipments had gone “through channels that appear to lead to Nazi Germany.” ■ Quoting statistics from the United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, the report showed that the Netherlands, which had purchased no lead from the United States during 1938, bought more than 2,000,0001bs in the war months of 1939 and 1940, while Belgium’s purchases of lead rose from 56,0001bs in 1938 to more than 3,000,0001bs in the same months of 1939-40. Hungary bought no lead in 1938, but ordered almost 2,000,0001bs from September, 1939. Swiss purchases seemed even more incongruous, their copper imports from the United States rising from 1,296,375 lbs in 1938, to 9,648,0381bs from September, 1939, to January, 1940. It was suggested by the chairman of the Joint Boycott. Council, Dr J. Tenenbaum, that a continuation of this export trade 'would justify a charge that the United States was giving “material aid in a most crucial period to the mortal enemy of world democracy, Hitlerism.” A late report from New York mentions that an interesting book, “American ’White Paper,” written by two noted Correspondents, Messrs Al,sop and Kintner, was published on April 22 last, The book discusses President Roosevelt’s foreign policy and reports that the President said to one member of his Cabinet: “We can stay out (of the war) by following my policy of methods short of war to aid the democracies.” One of the best methods of giving effect, to that policy—a policy which might very reasonably be supported by the American people purely from the standpoint, of their own. interests and apart from any question, of sympathy with the Allies —evidently would be to call a halt in the export to Germany, through neutral or other indirect channels, of essential war materials. It not at all unlikely that the issue of American commercial assistance to the declared enemies of World democracy may be raised prominently during the Presidential election campaign. s SEATS IN PUBLIC PLACES. yY reasonable provision, of street, seats is desirable in Masterton, as in other towns, for the benefit of elderly people, tired mothers and other weary wayfarers. The layout and frequent, traffic congestion of the business and shopping areas in Masterton do not favour any great extension of this particular amenity, and it is so much the more to be regretted that a couple of scats which were placed until recently in the open space outside the Government offices in Lincoln Road have been removed. As was mentioned in a news item yesterday, the seats have now been, placed at the Hospital entrance. No doubt they will serve an excellent purpose there, but they were useful also in their former location and will be missed by people who have every claim to consideration.

Tt is slated that the seats were occupied at limes by men whose bad' lano'iiao’o and conversation were annoying to officers using’ front rooms in the office buildings and another complaint was that telephone conversations in the offices could be overheard by those outside. This last is not a very serious complaint. There must be many business people and others whose telephone talk could be overheard through an open window. Any users of the seats making themselves a nuisance by objectionable or needlessly noisy talk no doubt could, have been warned or dealt with —the more easily since the Police Station is near at hand. The removal of the seals, however, has penalised entirely worthy and deserving people—amongst others passengers wailing to take the Carterton Inis. 'There is no doubt that a measure of hardship will now be imposed on elderly folks and others who welcomed Ihe opportunity at times of sitting down for a rest.

Taking everything into account, the decision to remove the seats appears Io have been hasty and il might well be reconsidered. Fortunately in any case the Beautifying Society, which in this mailer as- in others is doing excellent community work', is making inquiries as Io the possibility of placing seats in other suitable local ions. Tin l enterprise is one in which the society should bo encouraged and supported. Seals placed in some parts of the town have been wantonly destroyed, but it should not he difiiciill Io make an end of vandalism of that kind if nearby residents would co-operate with the police in identifying offenders and helping to bring them to book.