Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1941. WORKING WITH BRITAIN.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 February 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1941. WORKING WITH BRITAIN.

()\ the question of war aid to Britain. Mr. Wendell Willkie is taking a line that may be expected to appeal strongly even to those of bis countrymen who are influenced much less by sympathy for Britain and the cause in which she is fighting than by concern for the securin' and welfare of the United States. Mr. Willkie has summed the position up admirably in the statement that he is asking the people of the United States to work, not. for Britain, but with her. He has given ar the same time cogent reasons in support of his belief that only in this way cast the American democracy make itself safe and secure. Mr. Willkie thinks that Germany cannot successfully invade Britain, but he has told his fellow-countrymen that if Britain were deefated and the Germans got the Royal Navy the totalitarian Powers would control, not only the whole of Europe, but probably Africa as well. Under these circumstances, said Mr. Willkie. Germany would probably make a drive, whether military or economic, against. Latin America. Perhaps .Japan would make a drive southward to the East Indies. Thus the United States and Canada would be ringed about by totalitarians, using totalitarian trade methods, unfriendly towards the United States and not reluctant to fight. Such a calamity <he added) would have two results. First, in order to compete with those Powers we would have to adopt totalitarian controls, losing our liberty here at home; and. secondly, we would eventually be drawn into war against one or more of those Powers. They would so cramp, hinder and infringe upon us that we would be forced to fight. In that event we would be fighting, alone, a different battle in the same war that Britain is now fighting. In a word. Mr. Willkie is urging that in giving all possible material aid to Britain. the I'nited States has the best means af safeguarding its own security. He invites his countrymen to recognise that in, giving this aid they will increase to a maximum their prospects of being able to keep out of the war. while if the denial of effective aid to Britain led to that country being defeated, the Cnited States inevitably would be involved before long in a life and death struggle. These contentions will bear tiny examination to which they can be subjected and may be expected to carry full weight in the United States in opposition to the obviously prejudiced ami unsupported views of the isolationists. On the realities of the war situation and the outlook it opens, the policy of working with Britain by giving her effective material aid has the strongest possible claims to the support of Americans of the hard-headed and calculating type as well as of those who are inspired by generous sympathy for the cause of world democracy. Mr. Willkie is making a splendid contribution to national unity on the policy of aid to Britain and is doing much to supplement the noble lead given In President Roosevelt. The modifications .Mr. Willkie proposes in the Lend and Lease Bill appear in no way to impair its principle and purpose. Indeed, he makes it clear that his essential aim is to ensure that aid shall be given as effectively and as speedily as possible. There can be no doubt as to the practical value of his proposal that additional destroyers, reconditioned and made ready for service in United States yards, should be transferred to Britain. The American Secretary for the Navy (Colonel Knox) has stated that in the interests of a balanced fleet, the United States cannot spare any more destroyers. It may have to be considered, however, whether the United States, taking account of what it has to gain from working with Britain, can tifford to allow the maintenance of a balanced fleet to stand in the way of one of the most effective forms of assistance that could be given. As affairs are now going in the United States, this vital question no doubt will be considered on its merits. The position in any case exists that ihe two men who divided between them the support of virtually the whole American nation in the recent Presidential election are broadly o l ' one mind on the policy of working with Britain to enable her to win the war, not for herself alone, but for world democracy, DANGER IN THE PACIFIC. r p<) a Press conference in Washigton, President Roosevelt has slated that if the Lulled States were forced into war in ihe Pacific, the delivery of war supplies to Britain would not have to bo curtailed. The President said also that he thought there was no danger of the United States being drawn into war in the Pacific. It must he hoped that Mr. Roosevelt is right, but at tin* other extreme is tin observation by Mr. Vernon Bartlett. M.P.. in a 8.8. C. commentary, that it looks as if lending members of the .Japanese Government may have decided that when Germany gives the word they will go south “and grab till they can.” though the possibility also exists that the Japanese may await the further outcome of the war before making any such plunge. At best the position as it stands is open and it certainly cannot be taken for granted that the men now ruling Japan will refrain from the crime and folly of extending th<* war to tin 1 Pacific. Some obvious grounds appear for the prediction made in some circles in Loudon, as a cablegram reported yesferJav, t hat Japan may soon be compelled io throw in her lot with the Axis and enter the war. Her action, it is thought, would probably be synchronised with a German offensive in the spring. As other cablegrams have shown, the position is regarded verv seriously in Australia not least by the Ecderal Labour lender. Mr. Curtin, ami other members of his party. As a matter of ordinary prudence, the outlook should be regarded not less seriously in this emintry. Sober ci inmoii sense demands that our measures of defence and economic policy should be shaped with due regard to the possibility that -Japan may be about to lake the final step towards fully active partnership with her Axis allies. Making all preparation that is possible to cope with this danger should it arise. We shall be no worse off if it ilocs not arise, (in the other hand wo should have cverv reason for biiter regret if the war extended to our doors and we had neglected any detail of practicable defence preparation.

FREE FRANCE STRIKES. j the achievement <H a I‘Tee bTejieh motorised force. whirl with air force co-operation, has made a difficult d>-sert mare from the ('httd lerriton and a promising beginning on a; invasion td' Smit helm Libya, there is worthy contribution io th Allied ejttise and. if may be hoped, an encouragement and insph atiou to all loyal l-’remdimen. It is noteworthy ami perlmp sigiiilieanl that in this instance and for the iirst time 'lie now oi a Tree french success has been allowed bv the Vichoi < iovcrnment to circulate freely. At the moment, the position and prospects of the ViHo Government are shrouded in obscurity, though it is plain eiioiigl that behind the scenes the Axis gangsici's are doing ibm utmost, by methods of conspiracy and intrigue, to make tin l‘’reiich I iovcrnmeii! whollt subservient and to gain control nve. the b'remdi Elect and Xorlli Airman colonies. The sjgnitieaiw* of the apparently consider.'!ble transfer of authority made Iron Marshal I’e'ain to Admiral Ihirlau has y>-t io he made plain though it will be remembered that in recent times Admira l larlan has affirmed his detcrmimit ion to keep the Trench and colonies mit of the hands of the enemy The visit to Italy of the Spanish dictator. General l ? r.im-.< in company with his avowedly pr<> Axis b’<»r«-i*gn Minister. Sriou Stiner, may hate its bearing on the machinations that are j train against h'raiice ami there are suggestions, too. <,! w efforts to bring int'm-m-e to bear up<-n th,- aged .Marshal l'< • The outlook is in some respects unpromis>ng. Imt at teas! ' . . . be believed, "ha! all that is best ;n I' ram-o arid in ti «• J-';-,-Empire will be t’d'cd with m'v, h'-pe and resolve by the act.. iik-iil of !!:e I-’ree I'Tem'li forces in Libya. as w.-H as Lt • • impressive results of British otl-isiv* awnm African am< other theatres and the victories of Greeks in Albania