MERELY A TRAP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 April 1941, Page 5

MERELY A TRAP

PEACE WITH THE AXIS MR HULL’S DECLARATION. DEPENDENCE ON SOLID STRENGTH. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON. April 24. Ways must be found of ensuring that maximum American aid would reach Britain in the shortest time, declared Mr Hull, speaking to the International Law Society. “Britain's defeat would give the aggressors control of the seas and would be” a colossal danger to America,” he said. “The breadth of the seas might give us a little time, but would not give us safety, which is obtainable only by collaborating with peace-loving nations and preventing the aggressor from controlling the seas. If British sea-power fails then the Atlantic becomes a broad highway for the conqueror to move westward, "I wish it were possible that ■ the end of the European struggle would permit us to resume our normal life, but the obstinate fact remains that- the aggressors not only do not desire peace, but literally do not believe in peace. Thus peace with the Axis would be merely a trap, in which many nations earlier fell, before they understood the true nature of the movement for world conquest. “I do not doubt that the United States is included in the Axis plans of conquest. Thus it makes a difference to us who wins Europe’s struggle—a difference between the United States sanding with its back to the wall opposed by four other continents, who would then control the seas, or the United States retaining a place in an orderly world.'. “Though the struggle is likely to continue for a long time, I have absolute faith in the ultimate triumph of freedom, justice and security. I caution Americans against becoming discouraged by temporarily unfavourable news, because history shows that Americans become more resolute and more determined as danger increases. “The safety of this hemisphere requires resistance wherever resistance is most effective. Thus in my judgment, in the Government's judgment, aid must be given without hesitation to Britain and others resisting aggression. "This policy requires that aid must swiftly reach its destination —so means must be found to do this. "I do not agree that aid. to Britain might irritate the aggressors into attacking us. On the contrary, the aggressors' philosophy, is that attack is justified whenever and wherever it looks easy and convenient and serves their purposes. Thus there is no way of safeguarding America except by solid strength, placed when and where it is most effective. "The aggressors use every method of barbarism and fiendishness to subjugate conquered individuals and use conquered countries as springboards for new aggressions. Thus it would be shortsighted and dangerous to delay action till the aggressor controlled other continents and seas and possessed every strategic advantage for invasion of the western hemisphere. Our intelligence will be measured by the quantity of fighting instruments we produce for the democracies.”